Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The iPhone 7’s camera makes up nearly 10 percent of the phone’s total cost

Apple iPhone 7
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Chipworks has completed its teardown of the 128-gigabyte iPhone 7, revealing that the various camera components add up to about $26, or roughly 9.5 percent of the phone’s estimated $275 total cost. It also confirmed that camera’s 12-megapixel sensor comes from Sony, which is no surprise.

For as much emphasis as Apple put on the new camera, it’s hardly the most expensive component of the iPhone 7. The screen comes in at $37, while the A10 Fusion processor is the most expensive component at $40. The total cost of a 128GB iPhone 7 is $749, so while Chipworks’ cost analysis is based on estimates, it would appear that Apple’s typical high margins are in place here.

Of course, this report is limited to just the iPhone 7. Chipworks has yet to dissect the iPhone 7 Plus, which uses a dual-camera setup that likely comes with a significantly higher cost. The dual-cameras allow the iPhone 7 Plus to shoot both standard, 28mm wide-angle photos, as well as “telephoto” images thanks to 56mm lens on the second camera.

With today’s release of the final version of iOS 10.1, iPhone 7 Plus owners now also have the ability to shoot shallow depth of field photographs in the camera’s new Portrait mode. This mode uses both cameras together to judge depth and computer vision to recognize faces. It can then digitally blur the background and foreground to draw attention to the subject, mimicking a wide aperture lens on a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus owners can update to iOS 10.1 through Settings on their phones, or by connecting them to iTunes on a computer.

For more information on the iPhone 7 teardown and cost analysis, head over to Chipworks. A full version of the report can be downloaded if you don’t mind supplying a company email address.

Daven Mathies
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Daven is a contributing writer to the photography section. He has been with Digital Trends since 2016 and has been writing…
iOS 18 is official. Here’s how it’s going to change your iPhone forever
Screenshots of new features in iOS 18.

It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here: iOS 18 has just been announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 keynote. And, like the rumors have been saying, this is a very big, juicy update for your iPhone.

There's been a lot of anticipation for iOS 18. Rumors and leaks for the new update have been particularly intense this year, more so than iOS 17 rumors last year. So, was the hype worth it? Here's what's coming to your iPhone with iOS 18.
Home screen changes

Read more
iOS 18 may have a fun surprise for longtime iPhone fans
Apple iPhone 6S

If you’ve been a longtime iPhone user, you’ve probably seen every default wallpaper iOS has to offer — and you’ve likely had a few favorites that you miss. The good news is that, according to the latest news about Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024, Apple is set to bring back many old-school wallpapers dating back to the early days of the Mac and iPhone.

“Apple’s devices are getting new wallpaper packs, including Mac versions that reference old-school icons and slogans,” said Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in a report. “The iPhone wallpapers will have options that look similar to early ones on the phone.”

Read more
Here’s how iOS 18 will make iMessage better than ever
Close-up photo of the Messages app on an iPhone.

We can't wait for Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024) keynote on Monday, June 10. During that event, Apple will undoubtedly introduce iOS 18 for iPhones, including the iPhone 15 Pro. The rumor mill has long suggested that iOS 18 may be a giant iPhone update.

Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has given us a peek at what changes could be coming to iMessage in the upcoming software update.

Read more