Dive Brief:

• Apple will slowly be letting go some 200 Beats Electronics LLC employees because of operational overlap between the two merging companies, the company said last week. 

• The number represents almost 29% of the Beats workforce. In May, Apple and Beats Electronics announced Apple would purchase the headphone retailer and music-streaming service for $3 billion.

• Meanwhile, the merger was approved by the European Union July 28. 

Dive Insight:

There’s often a painful period as a merger becomes a reality, and for retail that often means layoffs and store closings. But Apple says it is finding as many positions as possible for Beats employees as it integrates its teams and creates new ones. (Beats doesn't run stores, so store closings are not a likely part of this picture.)