Python and Flutter teams latest on the Google chopping block
(2024/04/29)
- Reference: 1714401973
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/04/29/google_python_flutter_layoffs/
- Source link:
Google's latest round of layoffs have hit engineers working on its Flutter and Python teams.
Despite Alphabet last week [1]reporting a 57 percent year-on-year jump in net profit to $23.66 billion for calendar Q1, more roles are being expunged as the company cracks down on costs.
The Python team is [2]reportedly affected and an undisclosed number of Flutter and Dart engineers have been let go.
[3]
A Reddit account under the name of Kevin Moore, a Google Product Manager for Flutter and Dart, [4]posted : "The layoffs were decided AT LEAST a couple of layers above our team and affected a LOT of teams. (I think I can say that.)
[5]
[6]
"Lots of good folks got bad news and lots of great projects lost people. Flutter and Dart were not affected any more or less [than] others. It was a tough day... tough week."
Does this mean that Flutter will be taking a tentative step toward the [7]"Killed by Google" graveyard ? [8]Jamboard could always use the company.
[9]Google rings in 2024 with sweeping layoffs
[10]Google Bard AI contractors unionize amid anger over 'retaliatory' layoffs
[11]Having slammed brakes on hiring, Google says it no longer needs quite so many recruiters
[12]Google's APAC outpost joins the global job cuts club
Flutter is an open source Dart-based UI toolkit designed to allow developers to create apps across multiple platforms, both mobile (Android and iOS) and desktop (Linux, macOS, and Windows.) It was making progress at the [13]beginning of 2023 but now appears to have fallen victim to relentless cost-cutting at Google.
As for the Python team, the current positions have [14]reportedly been "reduced" in favor of a new team based in Munich.
[15]
The Register contacted Google to verify the number of reductions, and to ask whether the company was still committed to the Flutter platform. We have yet to receive a response.
Moore attempted to remain optimistic, noting that it was a sad situation, and "crazy to be seeing demos and new things working and discussions about new customers the same day we lost colleagues and friends."
He said: "You're nervous. I get it. We get it. You're betting on Flutter and Dart. So am I. So is Google."
[16]
To which one wag [17]responded : "We certainly are betting on Flutter... to be killed within a few years."
The cost cutting at Google began in January last year when 12,000 people or six percent of the workforce were [18]made redundant . This was by far the most significant number of job losses in Google's history, and an acknowledgment that the numbers of people recruited during the pandemic was no longer sustainable given the downturn in business.
That slowdown in business has now passed - clearly - but Google is looking to free up resources to spend more on priorities, including AI.
So far this year, Google has [19]waved goodbye to staff in the core engineering group, Devices and Services, the Google Assistant biz, YouTube and more recently in [20]finance and real estate . ®
Get our [21]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/26/register_kettle_ai/
[2] https://simonwillison.net/2024/Apr/27/everything-googles-python-team-were-responsible-for/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/FlutterDev/comments/1cduhra/comment/l1j9eoo
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://killedbygoogle.com/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/29/google_kills_jamboard/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_rings_in_2024_with/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/08/google_union_nlrb/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/13/google_layoffs/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/22/google_apac_hq_job_cuts/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/25/flutter_3_7/
[14] https://social.coop/@Yhg1s/112332127058328855
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[17] https://www.reddit.com/r/FlutterDev/comments/1cduhra/comment/l1pmvwk
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/20/google_to_chop_12000_employees/
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_rings_in_2024_with/
[20] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/18/google_laying_off_staff_again/
[21] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Despite Alphabet last week [1]reporting a 57 percent year-on-year jump in net profit to $23.66 billion for calendar Q1, more roles are being expunged as the company cracks down on costs.
The Python team is [2]reportedly affected and an undisclosed number of Flutter and Dart engineers have been let go.
[3]
A Reddit account under the name of Kevin Moore, a Google Product Manager for Flutter and Dart, [4]posted : "The layoffs were decided AT LEAST a couple of layers above our team and affected a LOT of teams. (I think I can say that.)
[5]
[6]
"Lots of good folks got bad news and lots of great projects lost people. Flutter and Dart were not affected any more or less [than] others. It was a tough day... tough week."
Does this mean that Flutter will be taking a tentative step toward the [7]"Killed by Google" graveyard ? [8]Jamboard could always use the company.
[9]Google rings in 2024 with sweeping layoffs
[10]Google Bard AI contractors unionize amid anger over 'retaliatory' layoffs
[11]Having slammed brakes on hiring, Google says it no longer needs quite so many recruiters
[12]Google's APAC outpost joins the global job cuts club
Flutter is an open source Dart-based UI toolkit designed to allow developers to create apps across multiple platforms, both mobile (Android and iOS) and desktop (Linux, macOS, and Windows.) It was making progress at the [13]beginning of 2023 but now appears to have fallen victim to relentless cost-cutting at Google.
As for the Python team, the current positions have [14]reportedly been "reduced" in favor of a new team based in Munich.
[15]
The Register contacted Google to verify the number of reductions, and to ask whether the company was still committed to the Flutter platform. We have yet to receive a response.
Moore attempted to remain optimistic, noting that it was a sad situation, and "crazy to be seeing demos and new things working and discussions about new customers the same day we lost colleagues and friends."
He said: "You're nervous. I get it. We get it. You're betting on Flutter and Dart. So am I. So is Google."
[16]
To which one wag [17]responded : "We certainly are betting on Flutter... to be killed within a few years."
The cost cutting at Google began in January last year when 12,000 people or six percent of the workforce were [18]made redundant . This was by far the most significant number of job losses in Google's history, and an acknowledgment that the numbers of people recruited during the pandemic was no longer sustainable given the downturn in business.
That slowdown in business has now passed - clearly - but Google is looking to free up resources to spend more on priorities, including AI.
So far this year, Google has [19]waved goodbye to staff in the core engineering group, Devices and Services, the Google Assistant biz, YouTube and more recently in [20]finance and real estate . ®
Get our [21]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/26/register_kettle_ai/
[2] https://simonwillison.net/2024/Apr/27/everything-googles-python-team-were-responsible-for/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/FlutterDev/comments/1cduhra/comment/l1j9eoo
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://killedbygoogle.com/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/29/google_kills_jamboard/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_rings_in_2024_with/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/08/google_union_nlrb/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/13/google_layoffs/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/22/google_apac_hq_job_cuts/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/25/flutter_3_7/
[14] https://social.coop/@Yhg1s/112332127058328855
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zi-EHDvRc22qF@a8RBjaegAAAEw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[17] https://www.reddit.com/r/FlutterDev/comments/1cduhra/comment/l1pmvwk
[18] https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/20/google_to_chop_12000_employees/
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/11/google_rings_in_2024_with/
[20] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/18/google_laying_off_staff_again/
[21] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
> it is there to make PROFITS
Anonymous Coward
Look at Atos to see why profits are important. It is certainly better than nationalizing the company debts.
Flutter once was a promising platform. But with HTMX becoming mainstream, and likely to be standardized and integrated into browsers, the complexity of object-oriented development becomes a liability, not an asset.
It's incredible
It is incredible how Google continues, year after year, to axe useful projects while making more and more billions, and yet cost-cutting is the name of the game.
And everyone who used the products that are being disemboweled somehow still haven't got the message : Google is not there to make your life better, it is there to make PROFITS.
Stop using its products. Stop validating this behavior by looking at the next new tool and saying "oh, I could use that !".
Just stay away from Google code. Google needs to be taught a lesson : when you're making all the money, you can afford to let projects continue.
Either that, or be true to yourself, Google, and replace the Board every two years. Via shotgun.