The Eye of the (BlackBerry) Storm

iSuppli took apart Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm to determine the cost of its components. Guess what? The iPhone parts are cheaper.

As the battle for the smartphone market heats up, comparisons abound between Research In Motion's BlackBerry Storm, released in November, and Apple's iPhone.

For starters, both devices boast a touchscreen, forgoing the buttons found on more conventional phones. But the more important comparison, from the bottom-line perspective, lies in which device carries a fatter margin. And on a cost-per-unit basis, the advantage for the moment appears to belong to Apple (AAPL). A new analysis of the BlackBerry Storm by market research firm iSuppli indicates the cost of components and manufacturing for RIM (RIMM) is slightly less than $203. By comparison, those costs for Apple's iPhone 3G, the second iteration of the device, are less than $175. iSuppli's estimates factor in only the cost of components and assembly and don't include estimates for the cost of software, licensing of patents, or distribution. But they do help fill in the blanks on how profitable a device may be.original article here