Business

Apple pares 200 jobs from Beats

Apple is cutting around 200 jobs at Beats Electronics as it prepares to close on its $3 billion purchase of the audio equipment and music-streaming company, The Post has learned.

The cuts, ahead of the Aug. 1 closing of the deal, amount to about 40 percent of Beats’ global workforce, sources said.

The Beats buy is widely aimed at giving Apple a fresh impetus in connecting with a hip design-focused consumer — as well as a toehold in the rapidly expanding streaming music world.

It is the firm’s largest acquisition under CEO Tim Cook.

“Last week everyone was given an offer from Apple. Some were transitional offers with a set end date,” a source close to the situation said.

Beats’ management — including music chiefs Luke Wood and Ian Rogers and creative boss Trent Reznor — will join Apple, according to Beats insiders.

Reznor is also the front man for the rock group Nine Inch Nails.

News of an unspecified number of layoffs at Beats was first reported in tech blog 9To5Mac.

Reznor tweeted on June 2. “ …but YES I am still CCO of Beats Music and looking forward to what lies ahead with Apple.” He hasn’t commented since.

Co-owners Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre are both already moving under the Apple umbrella.

Beats occupies a former warehouse building in Culver City, where “Gone with the Wind” was filmed.

Being in Culver City puts Beats close to other cutting-edge companies such as Nike, Maker Studios and PopSugar.

At the time Beats took over the space, reports suggested the real estate was valued at $20 million.

“We’re excited to have the Beats team join Apple, and we have extended job offers to every Beats employee,” said an Apple spokesman.

“Because of some overlap in our operations, some offers are for a limited period and we’ll work hard during this time to find as many of these Beats employees as we can another permanent job within Apple.”