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Microsoft's Surface with Windows RT tablet will bring in a higher profit-per-tablet sold than Apple's iPad, according to a teardown by IHS iSuppli.
The research firm offered a total bill of materials estimate on Monday, but has since released a more detailed breakdown of each component in Microsoft's tablet. The total cost to build the Surface, with $13 in manufacturing costs included, is $284, IHS claims.
“The Surface represents a key element in Microsoft’s strategy to transform itself from a software maker into a devices-and-services provider,” IHS analyst Andrew Rassweiler said in a statement. “Key to this strategy is offering hardware products that generate high profits on their own, similar to what Apple has achieved with its iPad line.
Here's the part-by-part breakdown from IHS:
- 2GB of DDR3 RAM and 32GB of flash storage: $34
- 10.6-inch, 1366-by-768 resolution display and touch screen: $101
- Nvidia Tegra 3 processor: $21.50
- 1-megapixel 720 camera (front and back): $5
- Interface sensors and combo module: $20
- Power management: $8
- 31.5 watt hour Li-Polymer battery: $20
- Mechanical, electro-mechanical and other components: $36
- Box contents: $25
Microsoft Touch Covers for the Surface tablet
Instead, IHS lists this piece of hardware separately, estimating that it costs between $16 and $18 to make. The Touch Cover, a screen protector that doubles as a slim, touch-sensitive keyboard, integrates a printed circuit board assembly with numerous chips of its own, including a microcontroller from Freescale and a touchscreen controller from Atmel.
With or without the Touch Cover, IHS says Microsoft's profit from the Surface is greater, in percentage, than Apple's margin on the basic 16GB iPad.
Continue Reading @: Microsoft Surface: More profit per tablet than Apple's iPad? | PCWorld
