Google has already launched the Pixel 9 series to beat Apple this year. As a result of this decision, the Pixel phones became quite successful.
Now the Japanese news agency Nikkei has revealed how much money Google and Apple have spent on making Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro. This data shows how many dollars the company makes per smartphone sold.
The bill of materials (BOM) of Google's Pixel 9 Pro, or the cost of raw materials used in it, is a little over $400. The BOM is the cost, which is spent on each part required to manufacture the device. It serves as a basic indicator of manufacturing cost, which combines the cost of all the components that make up the entire device.
A more detailed analysis of the BOM of the Pixel 9 Pro phone on the X platform has been posted by tech account @Jukanlosreve. The phone's most expensive component is the Tensor G4 chipset, which is manufactured by Google itself. The total cost of manufacturing this chipset is $80. Next is Samsung's M14 display panel, which has a BOM of $75. Apart from this, the company has spent 61 dollars on the camera of the phone.
The report also says that the BOM cost of the Pixel 9 Pro is 11 percent lower than that of the Pixel 8 Pro. But that may not be a completely fair comparison, as the Pixel 9 Pro is technically a new model. However, if you analyze the manufacturing cost of Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 8 Pro, it will be a fair comparison. Because the Pixel 9 Pro XL is actually the true successor to the Pixel 8 Pro.
The BOM cost of the iPhone 16 Pro has also been highlighted in the Nikkei report. Apple is likely to spend $568 on this phone, which is slightly more than the iPhone 15 Pro. The phone's most expensive component is its M14 display. The company is spending $110 to make this display. And for the camera part, the company has spent 91 dollars.
Apple's A18 Pro chipset is likely to cost $135. This shows the difference between the performance of Tensor and Apple chips.
Both Google Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro are priced at $999. That is, Google is making $599 on each Pixel 9 Pro phone and Apple is making $431 on each iPhone 16 Pro phone.
Meanwhile, most expensive Android phones in 2025 will use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Companies may have to spend $200 for this chipset. Due to this, the price of the phone may also increase.
It is important to remember that BOM costs only represent a small fraction of the total cost of bringing a smartphone to market. Other important factors such as research and development, marketing, shipping and distribution also play a large role in the total cost. These factors have an important impact on the pricing of the phone. But the BOM still provides an idea of each company's strategy and direction of their production costs.
References: Android Authority
