Microsoft announces 7,800 new job cuts in smartphone unit

Microsoft hasannounced a second major round of layoffs in less than a year on Wednesday as the technology company tries to cut costs in a competitive market.

On Wednesday, the company announced itwill cut 7,800 jobs and take a $7.6 billion impairment charge to restructure its flagging phone hardware business.

The moves come on top of 18,000 jobs cuts the company announced around this time last yearas the company attempts to streamline its operations following the $7 billion purchase of smartphone maker Nokia in early 2014.

The company hoped to tack on Nokia'spatents and business to its own smartphone unit.But Microsoft's Windows Phone system has gained little traction against Apple's iPhone and Google's Android system.

At the end of June, CEO Satya Nadelya told employees in a letter that the company would have to"make some tough choices in areas where things are not working and solve hard problems in ways that drive customer value."

Worldwide, Microsoft hadroughly 118,000 workers at the end of March, according to regulatory filings.

Microsoft has 11 offices in Canada, including its headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. Details on any Canadian job cuts were not immediately available.