Microsoft cuts 7,800 jobs

Microsoft announced plans Wednesday to cut 7,800 jobs, most from the struggling mobile phone division acquired last year from Nokia.

The US tech giant will also write down the value of the Nokia unit by some $7.6 billion, in a reflection of its woes in the global smartphone market.

The announcement represents the second major round of layoffs in a year for Microsoft, which cut some 18,000 jobs a year ago as part of its effort to integrate the newly acquired group. A Microsoft statement said it would "restructure the company's phone hardware business to better focus and align resources."

The cuts will also require Microsoft to take a restructuring charge of between $750 million and $850 million, the statement said.

Microsoft has failed to get much traction for its Windows Phone platform even with the acquisition of Nokia. A survey by IDC said Windows was expected to capture just 3.2 percent of the global smartphone market this year.