Do mobiles cost that much to produce

MooseJam · 24-02-2009 11:28pm #1

The expensive mobiles that cost 5 or 6 hundred , are they actually that expensive to produce or do they just stick a high price on them because they are exclusive, compared to other things that cost that much - laptop computer, DSLR, top of the line GFX etc, you don't really get that much, all the other stuff you could understand the price.

Sam Vimes · 25-02-2009 8:39am

the top of the line phones are mini laptops, digital cameras and graphics cards all built into a really tiny package. It's not the unit price you're paying for, that's only a few euro as, you're paying for the research and design work that went into it

martin1016 · 25-02-2009 9:40pm

I think I heard somewhere recently or read it,that the iPhone BOM was just under USD300 before assembly costs. ASUS netbook BOM is under USD200. I will see if I can find it.

strecker · 26-02-2009 7:34am

Answer: no! They cost hardly anything. They don't, contrary to common wisdom, do R&D; parts come from ebay and buy&sell. Any creche teacher has preschoolers build 5mp cams and gps into old 1110's...for fun, and to keep them quiet. The reason that the computing power of the n96 20 years ago would have required a whole building is a rumour;...the firsy moto pebl was a sliced potatoe and some old copper found in a Supermacs bin!