Samsung Galaxy S9+ Costs $379 to Build, TechInsights Says
The Samsung Galaxy S9+ smartphone costs $379 to build, up from $343 for last year's Galaxy S8+, mainly due to the upgraded camera system, according to research firm TechInsights.
The S9+ has an advanced camera system that includes a second rear camera. Those components cost $48 versus $32 on the S8+, TechInsights estimates.
But the truth is that the most expensive component inside the S9+ is the 6.2-inch OLED screen, which comes in at $72.50. That's cheaper than the similarly sized screens in the Note 8 and S8+, which cost $82 and $78.50, according to the analysis.
The smarthone's processor - the Samsung-built Exynos 9810 SoC in the specific teardown analysis - is estimated to cost Samsung $68, while the memory components come at $51. Samsung models in the U.S. have typically used Qualcomm Inc. processors.
In the U.S., the S9+ is available through wireless carriers for about $900, suggesting Samsung has a 58 percent gross profit margin after the costs estimated by TechInsights. The device is also sold through Samsung's website for $840.
Previous TechInsight analysis for Apple's iPhone X and the iPhone 8 Plus suggested that Apple had a 61 percent and and 59 percent gross profit margins, respectively.