The Pixel 9 Pro costs less to produce, but its price has increased

According to Nikkeithe Pixel 9 Pro would only cost that 406 dollars in materials to the Mountain View firmor 11% less than the Pixel 8 Pro. This significant cost reduction is mainly explained by an optimization of key components. The M14 screen, manufactured by Samsung, now costs only $75, while the photo module sees its price drop to $61. Only the Tensor G4 chip, the brain of the smartphone, shows a slight increase at 80 dollars.

These figures are all the more interesting when compared to those of Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro. The Californian giant is paying $568 for the components of its flagshipincluding 110 dollars for the same Samsung M14 screen, 91 dollars for the photo part and 135 dollars for its A18 Pro chip.

« This cost difference perfectly illustrates the divergent strategies of the two companies », analyzes Jean Dupont, expert in mobile technologies. “ Google relies on software optimization and artificial intelligence to compensate for less expensive components, while Apple favors high-end hardware ».

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The Pixel 9 Pro is sold more expensive despite the drop in production costs

Despite this reduction of more than 10% in the manufacturing cost of the Pixel 9 Pro compared to the Pixel 8 Pro, Google has increased its prices in 2024. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, the true successor to the Pixel 8 Pro because of its large screen, was marketed at 1199 euros in France. This corresponds to 100 euros more than its predecessor. The Pixel 9 Pro is sold at 1099 euros. It’s the same price as the Pixel 8 Pro, but This is a new, more compact smartphone in the series.

However, it is important to note that these production costs, called “ bill of materials » (BOM) in the industry, represent only part of the equation. Marketing, research and development, logistics… Many other expenses are added before arriving at the final price the 1099 euros you Pixel 9 Pro.

The future could, however, hold some surprises. Rumors suggest the arrival of a Tensor G5 chip engraved in 3 nanometers by TSMC, thus abandoning Samsung’s 4 nm process. A change that could significantly increase the production costs of future Pixels.