Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Humor, Odds and ends, iPhone
iSuppli estimates the iPhone 3GS costs $179 to make
Did you know that after it is broken down into all of its composite metals and materials and parts, your human body is really only worth about $4.50? Yup, you're cheap in the broadest sense -- all of that oxygen, magnesium, iron, and sodium isn't actually worth all that much in the rare metals market. In fact, according to iSuppli, you're worth way less than the iPhone 3GS -- they looked at the component parts for Apple's new handset, and calculated its raw value at around $178.96. The most expensive components are the 16gb flash memory (ringing in at around $25 per part) and the display (at $19), all the way down to the audio codec board, which Apple reportedly picked up for a cheap $1.15. Of course, there was lots more cheaper stuff (we assume the screws weren't a buck each), but iSuppli didn't actually go that granular. That also doesn't include any of the non-hardware costs: shipping fees, R&D, distribution, marketing, and so on. But it's way more than you're worth, and it's $40 more than the Palm Pre costs to make, too.Lest you start worrying that your spouse will start valuing their iPhone more than your body, however, there is a silver lining. If you break down to the mineral components of the human body, we're cheap, but the actual components of the body are pretty expensive, it turns out. Expensive to the tune of $45 million, if you count up all the money you could pick up from taking out your bone marrow, extracting your DNA, and selling off a lung or two. Just like the iPhone's parts, when assembled, are worth more than iSuppli's $179, you too pick up some value when assembled the right way.
[via Engadget]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Luna Lovegood said 11:39AM on 6-25-2009
"Did you know that after it is broken down into all of its composite metals and materials and parts, your human body is really only worth about $4.50?"
How many "roses" is that?
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billcantfart said 12:05PM on 6-25-2009
That's why you gotta sell your organs when they still look like organs.
Shunnabunich said 5:26PM on 6-25-2009
It just goes to show, it's not the hardware that really counts, it's the software running on it.
Bingo said 11:56AM on 6-25-2009
I swallowed a quarter, so now I'm worth $4.75
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Kyle said 12:05PM on 6-25-2009
Not for long...
Gio said 12:12PM on 6-25-2009
hmm..interesting..
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markm49uk said 12:16PM on 6-25-2009
Hey thats my photo from last year ! Its good to see the iphone girl again - I do wonder what came of her !
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Joe said 12:47PM on 6-25-2009
She won gold at the olympics!
Seamonkeas said 1:15PM on 6-25-2009
So why does it cost me 600 dollars for upgrade pricing? Thieves!
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homagetogorto said 3:09PM on 6-25-2009
The new definition of "bling" is a lung-encrusted iPhone.
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xeno314 said 3:37PM on 6-25-2009
And an iPhone 3GS ground down to its component elements/compounds would not be worth much either...
The more apt analogy would be not to your internal chemicals, but to the organs making up your overall body, which, by the way, are worth much more than an iPhone 3GS on the open (black) market...
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threehourstokill said 8:13PM on 6-25-2009
iSuppli's totally inaccurate cost estimates have been endlessly debunked. Can you guys stop posting this misleading nonsense? Please?
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Slappy said 8:39PM on 6-25-2009
And I estimate that iSuppli doesn't know its a-- from a hole in the ground.
What do I win?
and @threehourstokill: Yes, please!
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Ethan said 10:38AM on 6-26-2009
Ah, but how much does a human cost to manufacture?
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