One of Apple's top execs thinks there is no market for 'hybrid' tablet-laptops

If you ever expected Apple to make a "hybrid" of a tablet and a laptop - don't hold your breath.

In a recent interview with Mashable, Apple's SVP of marketing, Phil Schiller, dismissed the idea that there was even a real market for such a product.

"There certainly are more offerings today, more people trying to create a market, but based on all the data that I've been able to see, it is still incredibly small and niche and may not be growing to anything significant," he told Mashable. "Time will tell," he added charitably at the end, but his thoughts are clear.

Microsoft has been making big bets on hybrids, with its Surface Pro and Surface Book (and Google is dipping its toes in the water, with its forthcoming Pixel C device). But Schiller's reasoning implies this is misguided, an attempt to dominate a market that isn't worth pursuing.

Schiller told Mashable that he doesn't think people buy products because they appreciate the innovation of, let's say, a hybrid. But rather, because they "love" them. "Do people love hybrids" is the underlying question.

Will they ever?