01-23-2022, 08:58 AM
(01-22-2022, 07:54 PM)Otter Wrote: The screen on the phone is touch sensitive and the system supports that screen as an input. On most computers this option adds quite a bit to the price. The durable glass on top of that screen is proprietary and expensive, so it too adds to the cost.
Retail before shipping, for the modem chip that allows it to be a phone is $79. Getting this all down to a small form factor is also expensive.
That makes sense and it could explain the price difference between original PinePhone and Pinebook, because it was only $50. In case of pro models it's $180, so the amount increased by $130. Maybe it could be explained by PinePhone Pro having a better screen, but I'm not sure if screens are that expensive.
(01-22-2022, 08:23 PM)barray Wrote: Because neither the Pinebook or Pinebook Pro were built again recently, so the price is not adjusted to post-COVID times with shipping and parts shortages.
That is a good point. We will have to wait for when they start producing them again to have a more accurate comparison.
(01-22-2022, 08:23 PM)barray Wrote: Also both the PinePhone devices are relatively mature now and as a result they charge a more mature price as non-developers start to buy them.
I hope that is not true, because Pine did nothing to improve the software. It was done by the community for free.
(01-22-2022, 08:23 PM)barray Wrote: It's not just size, but also pixel density. The PinePhones are also touchscreen.
That could explain it, but I'm not sure if a 6" touch screen can be that much more expensive than a 14" screen without touch.