Nokia cuts 2 percent of research force

Nokia on Friday said it would cut 330 jobs in its research and development group. The reductions are spread between an office in Oulu, in Nokia's native Finland, as well as in Copenhagen. Nokia isn't specific as to the nature of the layoffs and says only that they're meant to reflect the company's "focused portfolio of future products."

Despite the cuts, Nokia downplays the move and notes that those let go represent just under 2 percent of its entire research team, which numbers about 17,000 workers. These may also have a chance at other positions inside the cellphone maker.

The reductions bring Nokia's total job cuts to over 2,300 following over 1,700 jobs lost earlier this year. It has often explained these as necessary due to the economy but is partly mirroring its own struggle to compete. It has lost smartphone market share and is generating less profit than Apple despite selling roughly ten times or more phones each quarter. Most of Nokia's cellphone sales now skew towards inexpensive devices and are rarely as profitable as the iPhone.

By Electronista Staff