Based on the looks of the T-Mobile HTC G1, the first phone to run Google’s Android operating system, we may all have suspected this. But here’s the proof.
The G1 costs about $144 to build compared to Apple iPhone’s $160, based on a virtual tear down by research firm iSuppli.
The estimate includes only component and material costs for the G1 and doesn’t account for other expenses such as software, research and development, manufacturing and accessories.
The most costly segment of the G1 is the baseband at $29, or nearly 20% of the total cost. The baseband employs a combination of an ARM11 microprocessor for multimedia applications and an ARM7 core for modem functions, says iSuppli.
Next comes the display at around $20, or 14% of the total. The G1’s display is a 3.2-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with HVGA resolution at 320 x 480 pixels. The phone’s 3-megapixel camera represents about 8.5% of the total cost.
Though the G1 user interface is “above industry average,” Tina Teng, senior analyst, wireless communications for iSuppli says the phone’s industrial design and finish lacks the wow factor of some of its slicker competitors.
The G1 is priced at $180 with a two-year contract compared with $200 for an iPhone.
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