The phone's screen is said to be the most expensive component

Apr 15, 2014 11:49 GMT  ·  By

Samsung Galaxy S5, the latest flagship Android-based handset from South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung Electronics, costs $256 (€185) to make, a recent report from research firm IHS unveils.

The smartphone went up for purchase worldwide on April 11 and was said to have registered great success in all markets, setting a new initial sales record, though no specific numbers have been unveiled as of now.

Apparently, the phone’s screen is the most expensive component it was launched with, at $63 (€45.6). For those out of the loop, we should note that the handset packs a 5.1-inch panel capable of delivering a full HD resolution.

Next in line comes the memory inside the phone, namely RAM and flash memory, with a combined cost of $33 (€24), as re/code notes in a recent article.

Samsung Galaxy S5 was also unveiled with a fingerprint sensor packed inside the home button, which is said to have a price tag of around $4 (€2.9), thus being much cheaper when compared to the $15 sensor included in Apple’s iPhone 5S.

IHS also suggests that the cost of assembling the Galaxy S5 is of around $5 (€3.6), though the company does not include the cost of software on this list. Distribution and marketing costs weren’t taken into consideration in the $256 bill of materials either.

Samsung Galaxy S5 is available for purchase in the United States at $200 (€145) with a two-year contract at most carriers, whereas selling at around $660 (€478) without a contract.