AfterDawn: News

The HTC Thunderbolt is the most expensive phone ever built

According to a teardown from IHS iSuppli, the popular HTC Thunderbolt is the most expensive phone ever built.

The LTE smartphone, when disassembled, has a total cost of $262.



For comparison's sake, the Verizon iPhone 4 has a teardown cost of $171.35.

Please note that teardowns do not take R&D and shipping costs into account.

iSuppli says the most expensive component is the Qualcomm MDM9600 4G LTE chip, which cost $40 per device.

Adds the company:

It remains to be seen whether the next Apple iPhone set for introduction in September will support 4G LTE. However, if it does, two things are clear. First, the iPhone's minuscule printed circuit board (PCB) will have to grow in size in order to support the first-generation LTE baseband processor as well as all the supporting chipset.

Second, the next iPhone's BOM value certainly will increase substantially compared to the iPhone 4 if LTE is implemented in the same manner as in the HTC Thunderbolt.

Qualcomm's second-generation slimmer LTE chipsets will be ready by early 2012.

More details here: iSuppli

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 10 Jul 2011 16:23

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• 8 comments

• biglo30

  I wish we could actually get phones at that price lol.
  

  
  

  10.7.2011 23:12 #1

• 3MUK

  Originally posted by biglo30: I wish we could actually get phones at that price lol. lol more like dream
  

  "You can lead a fool to wisdom but you cant make him think"

  11.7.2011 00:00 #2

• hearme0

  2012 Qualcomm chips will be 'quad core' supposedly. Nothing like being able to talk on the phone, while playing a game, while texting and IM'ing all while wiping your ass and driving at the same time. Good GOD! Help us all re-prioritize.

  11.7.2011 12:34 #3

• adre02

  Originally posted by hearme0: 2012 Qualcomm chips will be 'quad core' supposedly. Nothing like being able to talk on the phone, while playing a game, while texting and IM'ing all while wiping your ass and driving at the same time. Good GOD! Help us all re-prioritize. On a brighter note, insurance companies will make more money while losing more money paying out death claims....
  
  DISCLAIMER - sarcasm speaks.
  

  This is superman

  11.7.2011 14:23 #4

• Azuran

  Originally posted by hearme0: 2012 Qualcomm chips will be 'quad core' supposedly. Nothing like being able to talk on the phone, while playing a game, while texting and IM'ing all while wiping your ass and driving at the same time. Good GOD! Help us all re-prioritize. Don't worry. Someone will make an app for that.
  

  11.7.2011 19:54 #5

• lxhotboy

  I guess since the phone was so expensive that why they put that crappy 1400mah battery in with it. That's all they could afford. LOL..

  13.7.2011 22:25 #6

• ozdavo

  $40 for the 4g LTE CHIP! Wholesale; in quantities in the millions! They have got to be f$@kin joking!

  15.7.2011 08:56 #7

• braaad (unverified)

  hahahaha $265 thats really cheap! our phones over here are from 20-2000 dollars

  20.7.2011 06:30 #8