Apple Inc.

Apple Inc.

iPad

Date: Apr. 3 (Wi-Fi model only)
Retail price: Starting at $499
Cost of components: $259.60 to $348.10

Tech industry researcher iSuppli first estimated the iPad's cost of materials at $219.35 in its February 2010 analysis. Now that it's taken one apart, iSuppli said on Apr. 6 that the components in the least expensive iPad, which retails for $499 and includes 16 gigabytes of storage, cost an estimated $259.60.

Among the reasons for the revision: The iPad's touch-sensitive screen is more expensive than iSuppli originally thought, and the iPad contains more numerous and expensive chips than the company had estimated. A high-end 64-gigabyte version, which retails for $699, contains components that cost $348.10, according to the analysis.