There seems to be some discrepancy on just how much money it costs for Google to make their Google Glass product.
Sci Tech Today wrote about it Sunday,
Given the current price of $1,500 for Google Glass, how much could the tech giant make? A new analysis estimates that the actual materials cost just under $80, indicating the tech giant could really be raking in the cash. However, the powers that be at Google are contesting that as a low-ball figure, saying it simply isn’t accurate.
The analysis was done by Teardown.com, part of tech consultant TechInsights. Teardown took apart the now-famous head peripheral. It estimated the costs of the constituent parts, including display, battery, camera, connectivity components, processor, supporting materials and other pieces, and added $2.15 for assembly and testing, plus $11.32 for “other.” The final tally: $79.78. Teardown often conducts dissections of consumer devices.
Earlier this week, a Google spokesman told The Wall Street Journal that the Teardown.com estimate was “absolutely wrong.” However, Google did not offer its own cost estimate.
Low Cost for Display?
The newspaper pointed out that Teardown’s estimate of the display, touchscreen and glass — $3 — appears to be unusually low. In reply, the site said the $3 estimate was an initial first take, and it could change after more analysis. Teardown said its teardown was only partially completed, and that a more thorough analysis will be released in the near future.
Additionally, the cost of assembly may have been low-balled, especially since the device is built in California rather than offshore where workers earn extremely low wages.
Read the full story here
I would think with just the California production alone that the Teardown.com estimate is on the low side.
