In a recent interview, released by the Shanghai Evening News, Phil Schiller (Apple’s marketing chief) addressed the newly-resurrected rumors of a cheaper iPhone model.
Earlier this week, Digitimes publicized information pertaining to Apple developing a cheaper, more affordable iPhone for emerging markets – reports from both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg were released shortly thereafter that consisted of the same basic information.
Now, in The Next Web’s translation of Shanghai Evening News’ interview, quotes from Schiller have effectively put the rumors of a less-expensive iPhone model to rest, at least for now. In a very concise and definite statement, Schiller said that, “Despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, this will never be the future of Apple’s products”.
‘At first, non-smartphones were popular in the Chinese market, now cheap smartphones are more popular and non-smartphones are out,’ Schiller added later. ‘Despite the popularity of cheap smartphones, this will never be the future of Apple’s products. In fact, although Apple’s market share of smartphones is just about 20%, we own the 75% of the profit’.
In boasting that Apple manages to “own” 75 percent of the profit generated by the smartphone market, while only maintaining an overall market share of roughly 20 percent, Phil Schiller (an undoubtedly high-ranking Apple official) has all but denied any future plans of Apple entering the “cheap smartphone” market in emerging countries. But what about the iPad mini? Numerous Apple officials, including Apple’s late CEO (Steve Jobs – may he rest in peace), definitively stated that Apple would never enter the 7-inch tablet market; au contraire.
With that said, stay tuned for additional coverage on Apple and any future plans the company may have to develop a cheaper iPhone model, whether they’re strictly toying with the idea or preparing it for a release.
