Google’s willingness to trash Glass for the sake of fashion might not be as insane as we previously thought. Because according to a recent estimate from Teardown.com, the actual parts going into the $US1500 faceputer only add up to a measly 80 bucks.
It’s important to note, of course, that this is just an estimate — more specifically, one that Google is vehemently denying. A Google spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that Teardown’s estimate was “absolutely wrong”, although he provided no further comment.
And while Teardown.com is quick to acknowledge that its conclusion is based purely on estimates (which can be seen in detail below and at Teardown.com here), even if the site is off by a few hundred dollars, that still makes the final product cost only a third if its retail value to actually produce.
There’s obviously much more that goes into a product than its individual parts. Research, development, and the technique necessary to actually put the thing together all take a considerable amount of skill that’s extremely difficult to quantify. Compared to Teardown via Betabeat, WSJ]
Update: In an email to Gizmodo, a Google spokesperson provided the following statement:
The estimate is wrong. The Glass Explorer Edition costs significantly more to produce than what this company is estimating.