Barring any official disclosure from Apple, we’ll likely never know exactly what it costs Apple to put the bits and pieces of an iPhone 3G together. But, that’s not going to stop analysts from estimating the cost of manufacturing the next-generation iPhone.
Already experienced in putting the iPhone together, its widely believed that Apple has trimmed production costs on the iPhone 3G – at once increasing its margins and making the handset more affordable. And, given Apple’s buying power, analysts at Portelligent are estimating that it costs Apple all of $100 worth of components to manufacture an iPhone 3G. Compare that to the original iPhone’s $170 “bill of materials.”
If true, Apple could be poised to rake in the profits, on incredible margins, as they sell units to carriers at a rumored $400 dollars. Especially if Apple meets some analyst projections of shipping 10 million iPhone 3G handsets.
[Via: CNN Money]