These are the real prices of the Pixel 9 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro

By Bryan M. Wolfe Published November 5, 2024

The iPhone 16 Pro screen next to the Pixel 9 Pro — Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

When you buy a Google Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro, you know how much you’re paying. Both phones have retail prices of $1,000. They’re expensive, but they’re in line with other flagship smartphones.

But is that the real price of the phones? That’s how much you pay, but how much do Google and Apple pay to make the handsets? Thanks to some new data, we finally have an answer.

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Recent data indicates that the production costs for Google’s Pixel 9 Pro are lower than many expected. According to Nikkei, the Google Pixel 9 Pro costs Google approximately $406 to manufacture. This includes $80 for the device’s Tensor G4 chipset, $75 for the Samsung M14 display panel, and $61 for the camera components. Jukanlosreve on X (formerly Twitter) provided this breakdown.

The manufacturing cost of the Pixel 9 Pro is about 11% lower than that of the Pixel 8 Pro. However, the newer model features a smaller display and battery. The Pixel 9 Pro XL, not the Pixel 9 Pro, is more comparable to the Pixel 8 Pro. This year’s lineup includes three models — the standard Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL — marking the first time since the Pixel 4 XL was launched in 2019 that the Pixel series has featured three models.

Close up of the camera on the iPhone 16 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro — Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

The same Nikkei report revealed that Apple’s cost to produce the iPhone 16 Pro is $568 per unit. This includes $110 for the M14 display, $91 for the camera components, and $135 for the A18 chipset. The total cost is slightly lower than that of the iPhone 15 Pro.

The Pixel 9 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro feature a 6.3-inch OLED display with a dynamic refresh rate of 120Hz. The Pixel 9 Pro has a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 48MP telephoto lens. In contrast, the iPhone 16 Pro offers a 58MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 12MP telephoto lens.

The Pixel 9 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro start at $1,000 in the U.S. According to the bill of materials, Google appears to profit more per unit than Apple.

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Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

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