iPhone XS Max Component Costs Estimated at $453 [Updated]

The iPhone XS Max with 256GB of storage costs an estimated $443 to make, according to estimates shared by TechInsights in a teardown of the new device. At $443, the iPhone XS Max components are nearly $50 more expensive than the estimated $395.44 component cost of the 64GB iPhone X.

TechInsight's component cost breakdown suggests the iPhone XS Max display is the most expensive component in the device at $80.50, while the A12 chip and modems are the second most expensive, at $72.

ifixit teardown iphone xs iphone xs max

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max internals, via iFixit

Storage, priced at $64 is the third most expensive component, while other expensive parts include the cameras at $44 and the housing and mechanical components at $55.

The iPhone XS Max housing, display, battery, and memory are all more expensive than similar components in the iPhone X, largely due to the size increase in the new 6.5-inch device. The housing, for example, is larger and heavier, while the display is also larger.

According to TechInsights, Apple cut down on display cost in the iPhone XS Max by removing some 3D Touch components that were previously included in the iPhone X, but that does not appear to have affected 3D Touch functionality in the new iPhone XS Max.

In a statement provided to Reuters, Al Cowsky, who oversees the cost analysis at TechInsights, said Apple took out components worth up to $10, cutting the cost of the iPhone XS Max display to $80.

techinsightsiphonexsmaxcost

TechInsights' component cost estimates, click to enlarge

Apple is charging $100 more for the iPhone XS Max than it did for the iPhone X, with the device priced starting at $1,099, while the iPhone X, like the new iPhone XS, started at $999.

Component cost estimates from companies like TechInsights only took at the pricing of raw components and do not take into account other iPhone manufacturing expenses like research and development, software creation, advertising, and distribution.

TechInsights itself warns that its cost estimates are compiled using the information available at the time of the initial teardown, with "some assumptions" made where concrete data is not yet available. The company plans to continue to refine its estimate over time.

Last year, when the iPhone X was first released, TechInsights estimated the component cost at $357.50, a number that has now gone up to an estimated $395.44, so there can be quite a bit of variance in these early guesses.

While interesting, device cost estimates are not an accurate measurement of Apple's overall profit margin for the iPhone XS Max, nor do they offer a clear picture of the overall cost of creating a new smartphone.

Back in 2015, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that cost breakdowns for devices are not reflective of actual costs. "I've never seen one that is anywhere close to being accurate," he said.

Update: According to TechInsights, its analysis of the iPhone XS Max parts was inaccurate because Apple has not removed any 3D Touch components from the iPhone's display. The estimated cost of the iPhone XS Max is now $453 rather than $443.

We have revised our initial estimates of the component cost of the iPhone Xs Max from $443.00 to $453.00, based on new information about the 3D touch system. Our initial review of the phone indicated that some of the 3D components that were included in last year’s iPhone X had been removed, but further investigation revealed this not to be the case. We can confirm that the iPhone Xs Max includes the same Broadcom BCM15951 3D touch controller used in the iPhone X.

This increases the Display cost from $80.50 to $90.50, for a total cost of $453.00.

The title of the post has been updated to reflect TechInsights' new pricing estimate.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 21, 2025 2:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices from credible sources. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X...
iPhone 16 Battery Life Feature

iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode Available Only on These iPhone Models

Saturday June 21, 2025 9:02 am PDT by
Last week, we reported that iOS 26 introduces an opt-in Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says that Adaptive Power Mode can make "small performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness or allowing some activities to "take a little longer." The full description of...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone Reportedly Moving to All-Screen Design in Two Stages

Sunday June 22, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple has long been working towards an iPhone with an all-screen design, and it might finally achieve the feat in a few more years from now. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple will shrink the size of the Dynamic Island on new iPhone models released next year. A year after that, he expects Apple to release a redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone model....
ios 26 control center b2

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 2

Monday June 23, 2025 2:57 pm PDT by
Apple provided developers with the second beta of iOS 26, introducing the first changes and refinements to the new operating system since it debuted after the WWDC keynote. Because we're early in the beta testing process, there are quite a few tweaks to iOS 26, which we've rounded up below. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Control Center The background behind the...
ios 26 control center b2

iOS 26 Beta 2 Fixes Control Center Design

Monday June 23, 2025 10:58 am PDT by
With the second beta of iOS 26 that Apple provided to developers today, Apple addressed one of the major complaints that people have had with Liquid Glass. iOS 26 beta 1 on left, iOS 26 beta 2 on right The Control Center buttons are now slightly more opaque, making it easier to see the different control options even on a multicolored background. The new, more opaque look is apparent with the ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro's Alleged Vapor Chamber Cooling System Partly Revealed

Sunday June 22, 2025 6:37 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models are rumored to be equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system, and a leaker known as Majin Bu today shared a photo of an alleged copper thermal plate for the system. Many high-end Android smartphones like Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra are equipped with a vapor chamber cooling system, which can manage heat dissipation inside the...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

watchOS 26 Adding a Smaller Yet Useful New Watch Face Setting

Monday June 23, 2025 9:39 am PDT by
watchOS 26 is adding a new "Show Data When Locked" setting to the Apple Watch. MacRumors contributor Steve Moser discovered the new setting within the code for the first watchOS 26 beta, and a Reddit user has seemingly found it in action, but we have yet to figure out where it is exactly. Leave a comment if you know. The new privacy setting allows you to toggle on or off the ability to...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adding Two New Wi-Fi Features, Allows AirDrop and AirPlay Alternatives

Saturday June 21, 2025 7:02 am PDT by
iOS 26 is gaining two new Wi-Fi features, including Captive Assist and Wi-Fi Aware. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris discovered a reference to Captive Assist within the code for the first iOS 26 developer beta, but Apple has yet to enable the feature. It should be available by the time the software update is released later this year. In his Power On newsletter last month, Bloomberg's...

Top Rated Comments

dumoore Avatar
88 months ago
I love the people who just assume "$1200 phone - (cost of parts) = pure profit". Shipping, logistics, marketing, paying their engineers 6 figure salaries each, manufacturing, etc etc etc.
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TimUSCA Avatar
88 months ago
Here we go with the armchair business experts telling us what an appropriate markup is and isn't. Just remember that there's a LOT more cost involved in making a device like this than just the materials used. Engineering, marketing, packaging, retail stores, etc. And yes... even a markup because they wouldn't be making phones at all without a profit.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexnyc8 Avatar
88 months ago
Vote with your wallets people. If you go out and buy one on day one Apple will continue raising the prices.
The people here who attempt to justify Apple price increases are funny nevertheless. Yes Apple can charge whatever the market will bare (at least as long as there is 0% financing subsidy such as common in US), luckily for me though, my 7+ works like a charm (previous one was a 3GS) and i intend to keep it until it falls apart :)
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Polaroid Avatar
88 months ago
Sorry this ESTIMATE doesn't include development time, wages, advertising, packaging, research time etc etc etc
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DNichter Avatar
88 months ago
Gotta love that markup. Wish I could get into a business like that.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shareef777 Avatar
88 months ago
I love the people who just assume "$1200 phone - (cost of parts) = pure profit". Shipping, logistics, marketing, paying their engineers 6 figure salaries each, manufacturing, etc etc etc.
And how does any of those expenses change when bumping the memory from 64G to 512G and then marking the phone up $350! for memory that costs them an extra $100!? Nothing wrong with making a profit, but they need to stop acting like it's "all about the customer".
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)