Right: Apple SVP Phil Schiller is currently in China; via M.I.C. Gadget
Apple executive Phil Schiller is in China with CEO Tim Cook and in a recent interview with the Shanghai Evening News, the former noted cheap smartphones will not be developed by Apple in order to grab marketshare. The Next Web confirmed with Apple the interview was official; below is a translated passage of the interview:
“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.”
This counters previous reports by the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg (and even Digitimes) that cited a cheaper iPhone is in the works, possibly to target emerging smartphone markets to take away marketshare from cheaper Android competitors.
The WSJ report did note “Apple could still decide to scrap the plan” to make a cheaper iPhone though. Apple creates premium products–can we really expect them to launch an unlocked $200 iPhone? That would be pretty incredible if they did, but it looks like Schiller has splashed cold water on that rumour.
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Just keep making the iPhone 3GS? Most stores are now selling this unlocked version for $200-300 anyhow. And it is still good enough to run the latest iOS 6
Read between the lines guys. Schiller didn’t confirm or deny everything. What is your definition of cheap? Now what is Apple’s definition of cheap? Schiller’s right … Apple will never release something that THEY consider cheap – they release premium, aspirational products.