[Chanlion]

So I was walking through my local electronics store to find the air conditioner section because it was warm and pass through the tablet section. Now, I see tablets selling for 80$. If they're selling it at 80, they're still making a profit. The specs weren't great but I was amazed at the price. Even the higher end tablets by Asus and such are still really cheap. Around the 200 mark. Now I'm wondering, why are cell phones so much more expensive. I mean the average smart phone goes for maybe 650-700 with a smaller screen, battery and construction material. The only thing I can think of is an added radio. But that itself can't be more than 200, can it?

I'm just wondering why they're so much more expensive. I know there's carrier markups but there still shouldn't be such a difference. Am I missing something, like radio regulations, software? Why are cellphones so much more expensive?

[FrankIAm]

Radio, maybe.

C0001BBF0 - BlackBerry 10 help channel.

[bekkay]

I can only speculate, but some of the difference may be due to extra hardware (as mentioned above: radio, more sensors, etc.), smaller size (needs to be more precisely engineered, tighter PPI display, etc.). Plus, it's easier to hide the real device cost with phones through carrier subsidy.

You should probably also compare apples to apples as well (no pun intended). There are plenty cheap smartphones and some expensive tablets as well.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

There are a number of low end smartphone also with similar specs as those tablets. For the most part they just don't make it in the US market. Here devices are usually sold as part of your "package" and are subsidized. If you can get a $400 device "free" on contract, it doesn't leave much room for those less expensive devices.

Some of the month by month companies where you buy the device out right (or less subsidised) and pay a cheaper monthly fee do carry these.

These "cheap" devices are a major reason why a non BIS BB10 is going to find it difficult to compete in many of their historical strong markets.

Posted via CB10