Comments on: Google’s ‘Googlephone’ set to shake up smartphone market? http://www.teleread.com/chris-meadows/googles-googlephone-set-to-shake-up-smartphone-market/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:05:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Paul Biba http://www.teleread.com/chris-meadows/googles-googlephone-set-to-shake-up-smartphone-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1149906 Paul Biba Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:44:07 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/11/27/googles-googlephone-set-to-shake-up-smartphone-market/#comment-1149906 I suspect the higher price might be because of lower volumes. Don't forget that the iPod sells in the millions. Smartphones have a much lower sell through so their manufacturing costs have to be spread over a much smaller base. I suspect the higher price might be because of lower volumes. Don’t forget that the iPod sells in the millions. Smartphones have a much lower sell through so their manufacturing costs have to be spread over a much smaller base.

]]> By: Levi Montgomery http://www.teleread.com/chris-meadows/googles-googlephone-set-to-shake-up-smartphone-market/comment-page-1/#comment-1149903 Levi Montgomery Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:41:57 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/11/27/googles-googlephone-set-to-shake-up-smartphone-market/#comment-1149903 <b>"What is there about a cell phone that would make it have to cost $1,000 or more without cell phone companies’ contract benefits?"</b> Good question. For years, my wife used a phone that A) made phone calls, and B)... uh, sorry, no B. It made phone calls, period. It had a contact list (although she never used it), but not much else. The list price on this phone was well under $100. Now, I'm no electronics engineer, but it seems to me that if you duct-taped the guts of that (sub-$100) phone to an iPod Touch, you'd have a smart phone for less than $100 over the cost of the Touch. Which leaves a few hundred bucks wanting an explanation. “What is there about a cell phone that would make it have to cost $1,000 or more without cell phone companies’ contract benefits?”

Good question. For years, my wife used a phone that A) made phone calls, and B)… uh, sorry, no B. It made phone calls, period. It had a contact list (although she never used it), but not much else. The list price on this phone was well under $100.

Now, I’m no electronics engineer, but it seems to me that if you duct-taped the guts of that (sub-$100) phone to an iPod Touch, you’d have a smart phone for less than $100 over the cost of the Touch.

Which leaves a few hundred bucks wanting an explanation.

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