BlackBerry Torch Cheaper To Build Than iPhone 4BlackBerry Torch Cheaper To Build Than iPhone 4

Research In Motion's BlackBerry Torch Exploded View

Research In Motion's new BlackBerry Torch has a total cost of materials and components that's less than that of Apple's iPhone 4, a teardown analysis showed.

The Torch, which debuted last week, comprises $171.05 of materials and components, market researcher iSuppli said Tuesday. Add $12 in estimated manufacturing costs, and the total cost of building RIM's latest smartphone is $183.05.

RIM appeared to have paid less to build the Torch than Apple shelled out for the iPhone 4, according to iSuppli. In an earlier teardown of Apple's iPhone, the firm found that materials and components totaled $187.51.

iSuppli analyst Andrew Rassweiler said RIM took an "evolutionary approach" in building the Torch, which on the inside "heavily leverages subsystems used in previous members of the BlackBerry smartphone line, specifically the Storm2 and the Bold 9700."

"With this evolutionary approach, RIM has delivered a smartphone with an enhanced feature set that largely matches those of the BlackBerry's chief competitors: the iPhone and the Android-based handsets."

Among the unique features in the Torch that are not in the other BlackBerry handsets is a QWERTY slider keyboard. Another first is the newly rewritten BlackBerry OS 6, as well as social feeds, universal search and a faster WebKit-based browser.

The Torch also contains a GPS integrated circuit from CSR PLC, which is the first time iSuppli has seen the new chip in a product teardown.

Research In Motion's BlackBerry Torch

Otherwise, the Torch's radio frequency, power amplifier and power management subsystems are similar or virtually identical to the Bold 9700, while the Torch's display is very similar to the Storm2 9550.

Like the iPhone 4, the most expensive component of the Torch is the 3.2-inch LCD and touch screen display module, which costs $34.85, or 20.4% of the product's total build of materials, iSuppli said. Apple's 3.5-inch LCD screen that features a resolution of 960 x 630 pixels, four times that of the iPhone 3Gs, cost $28.50.

An area that added cost to building the iPhone 4 was the redesigned housing. Unlike the unibody housing of previous models, the new phone's enclosure is composed of multiple pieces, making it possible to accommodate a larger battery and turn the metal sides of the enclosure into an antenna.

The Torch also bears some similarities to other brands. Mechanically, it's comparable in complexity and cost to HTC's Tilt 2. The Torch also integrates Texas Instrument's WL127x WLAN/Bluetooth integrated circuit, which is also found in Motorola's Droid X and Microsoft's Kin 2.

While RIM had high hopes that the Torch would attract new customers, the device has landed mostly mixed reviews, with some reviewers call it underwhelming and lacking innovation. Indeed, in a sign that sales were less than expected, the price of the device was sliced in half less than a week after its launched.

Amazon.com and other websites slashed the price of the Torch from $199.99 with a two-year service contract to $99.99. The smartphone costs $499.99 without a phone contract.

FURTHER READING:

-- BlackBerry's Torch Is On Fire

-- First Impressions: BlackBerry 9800 Torch Hardware

-- BlackBerry Messaging Ban Looms

-- BlackBerry Torch Being Sold At Steep Discount

-- Apple iPhone 4 Teardown Reveals $188 In Materials