Apple’s Senior Vice President of World Wide Marketing, Phil Schiller, has just confirmed that cheap smartphones will “never be the future of Apple products”. Said during an interview with reporter Huang Yinlong, who works with the Shanghai Evening News, it’s looking pretty obvious where Apple stands on a cheap iPhone.
When Yinlong asked Schiller about Apple possibly creating a cheap iPhone in the near future, Schiller said the following:
“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 statement contradicts rumors started by the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, which both made claims that Apple would produce a smaller and cheaper smartphone. According to these publications, Apple’s cheaper smartphone could be released as early as this year. However, it’s worth noting that Schiller didn’t specify what he meant when he said “cheap smartphones.” Apple could be planning a mid-range smartphone that still uses very high quality parts but sits at a smaller price point.
On the other hand, Apple has never been a fan of creating low-end products. The iPhone, Mac and iPad have always been the best in their class and are usually offered at a higher price point than their competitors. Even the iPad mini has a higher price than its $199 competitors, though it offers more features and a better overall user experience.