Can someone explain to me why the standard iPad ($349) is so much cheaper than the iPhone 17e ($599)?

hbn 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It's more expensive to make a computer tiny. Plus the iPhone's cameras are better, cellular modem, vibration motor, etc.

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altairprime 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Compact density is expensive, cellular is expensive, and the iPhone has to pass all-day battery and pocket bending tests. (Edit: also being dropped on gravel)

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Aunche 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I'm sure that they have a fatter margin on the the iPhone, but the iPhone does cost quite a bit more to manufacture. Cellular itself is probably $50 or so. The iPad has more material, so you may perceive you're getting more "device per the money" but the cost of those materials is dwarfed by the cost of manufacturing the additional components.

This is incidentally why consumers don't buy small phones even though they say they want them. They feel cheaper even though they cost about the same to manufacture.

	▲	hbn 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> This is incidentally why consumers don't buy small phones even though they say they want them. They feel cheaper even though they cost about the same to manufacture. Actually from what I understood, making a small display with modern specs like Apple did on the iPhone mini was MORE expensive because all of modern high-end smartphone display manufacturing is designed for larger, 6+ inch screens.

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drnick1 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Enough idiots buy $1000 phones, so $599 is cheap.