Total component costs of an iPad: as little as $219.35

The carries component costs of as little as US$219.35, less than half its retail price, according to a preliminary estimate by the iSuppli market research firm (and as reported by “Business Week” (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-10/apple-ipad-parts-cost-as-little-as-219-isuppli-says-update1-.html).

Materials for the tablet device, due to go on sale at the end of March (for the WiFi only version), include a touch-screen display that may cost about $80 and a $17 processor designed by Apple and made by Samsung Electronics Co., according to iSuppli. The relatively low price of the iPad’s materials gives Apple flexibility to reduce the retail price over time, iSuppli analyst Francis Sideco said.