'High-End' iPhone 14 Front-Facing Camera to Cost Apple Three Times More

[Macative]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

Bingo.

 

[derek4484]

They already are. China is not the only place the iPhone is being assembled. But it's the largest and cheapest of everything else so moving from there entirely is not easy, especially with the volumes of orders Apple needs to fulfill.

Where else are they being assembled? It even says on the back "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China"

 

[frownface]

So $6 instead of $2, thus allowing them to charge an additional $300 for this version.

This is exactly my thinking.

No BOM pricing at all means that the original unit cost could be anything.

15 cents? 5 dollars? 120 dollars?

Whatever it'll be, apple will surely make up for it and then some with a price increase.

 

[frownface]

Everyone seems to be an expert here by laughing at the alleged price change from $2 to $6. However, let’s not forget that R&D costs way more than that.

While apple do design many of the components they use in house; I don't believe they design their own camera modules; in which case what R&D cost?

Even if apple did pay 10s of millions of dollars to their camera suppliers to help with R&D. Over the 200 million+ units that'll eventually get made that'll be cents per module.

 

[kirk.vino]

While apple do design many of the components they use in house; I don't believe they design their own camera modules; in which case what R&D cost?

Even if apple did pay 10s of millions of dollars to their camera suppliers to help with R&D. Over the 200 million+ units that'll eventually get made that'll be cents per module.

Also, designing, putting everything together, and rigorously testing it costs money as well. Even if you're already using a module that has been designed by a 3rd party.

 

[mjs916]

That’s fine. Willing to pay whatever the high-end iPhone will cost. As long it’s a noticeable upgrade from previous gen models.

Hi Tim Cook! How long have you been in control of this account?

 

[mjs916]

A better quality front facing camera is welcome news for all Apple customers!

Unbox Therapy will finally give the iPhone selfie a good review but will pan it for costing an addition $50 per phone due to the cost increase of the camera. They will also compare it to a Xiaomi selfie and thus not recommended the 14 series.

 

[The Game 161]

hoping superior quality then as well.

 

[frownface]

Also, designing, putting everything together, and rigorously testing it costs money as well. Even if you're already using a module that has been designed by a 3rd party.

Undoubtedly!

But even if they paid 100 engineers 200k/yr each to test that module (which i would hope is a gross overestimation); amortized over the 200M or so units they'll sell in its life cycle we're still only talking about 10 cents.

Apple have the unique luxury of producing products in such mind boggling scales that R&D costs are pennies per unit sold.

I mean, it's not like they're making next generation stealth bombers that might only have a final production run of half a dozen units.