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Reuters withdraws story on Phil Schiller's reported denial of 'cheap' iPhone (update)

Reuters withdraws story on Phil Schiller's reported denial of 'cheap' iPhone (update)

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Yesterday it was reported that Apple's Phil Schiller had denied the company was working on a "cheap" iPhone — but now Reuters has retracted its story on the matter. The Shanghai Evening News published an interview with Schiller where, according to a translation by The Next Web, he reportedly said that a cheap iPhone "will never be the future of Apple's products." The statement came in response to reports from earlier in the week that Apple was developing a low-cost iPhone for release later this year. Reuters says it has withdrawn its story on the interview after The Shanghai Evening News made "substantial changes" to the article.

While Schiller's comments seemed to contradict the earlier reports, it's important to remember that Apple has never made a habit of making binding public statements about new products before they are released. The company had indicated numerous times it wasn't interested in pursuing iPads in sizes below 9.7 inches in the past, for example; the iPad Mini was then announced late last year.

Update: Reuters has now provided some additional details on the situation. It reports that the revised version of the Shanghai Evening News story removed all mentions of a cheaper iPhone in lieu of a broader reference to a "cheaper, low-end product." The Evening News also changed its headline to "Apple wants to provide the best products, will not blindly pursue market share." While Apple confirmed to Reuters that the interview did in fact happen — and that it had contacted the Evening News to clarify the original story — it's not clear if Schiller misspoke, or if the initial story itself was incorrect.