Samsung is reportedly cutting 10 percent of its white collar workforce [Update: No cuts, just ‘relocations of workers’]

It appears that even the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer is not immune to the rapid commoditization of the smartphone.

According to the Economic Daily, a South Korean newspaper, Samsung plans to cut 10 percent of its head office staff.

The company hasn’t confirmed the cuts yet, but with its Suwon head office boasting a headcount of 98,999, that means about 9,900 people are set to lose their jobs. Moreover, according to Bloomberg, Samsung will implement further cost-cutting measures in 2016, though what exactly those measures will entail is unclear yet.

For the time being, it doesn’t appear any of the divisions directly responsible for the design and manufacture of its mobile devices are in danger; instead, many of the cuts will come from its human resources, public relations and finance departments.

The move comes after Samsung saw its command of the smartphone market continue to slip in Q2 2015. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the company’s market share slipped 3.1 percent year on year.

All told, it’s been a brutal summer for any smartphone maker not named Apple. After its own dismal second quarter, Motorola owner Lenovo cut 500 jobs from Moto’s Chicago head office. HTC, on the other hand, in steep decline since the announcement of the One M9, is cutting 15 percent of its workforce.

Update: According to overseas reports by YonhapNews, an unknown high-ranking Samsung executive denied the news of 10 percent of its workforce being cut, noting “it will only be relocations of workers.”

[source]Bloomberg, YonhapNews [/source]