The BlackBerry Storm 9530, RIM's first touchscreen smartphone and an obvious nod to the iPhone 3G, carries a combined materials and manufacturing cost of about $203, according to iSuppli's Teardown Analysis Service—$30 more than what it costs Apple to build each iPhone 3G.

The report said that the Storm's total per-unit cost includes all parts and manufacturing, but excludes intellectual property (IP), royalties, licensing fees, software, shipping, logistics marketing, and other channel costs. The Storm's exact $202.89 total consists of $186 for components and other materials, and $16.07 for manufacturing. The total is $27 more expensive than what it costs RIM to manufacture each BlackBerry Bold, for purposes of comparison, according to iSuppli.

That compares with Verizon Wireless's up-front charge of $249.99 with a $50 rebate, bringing the total to $199.99—the same price that AT&T charges for the iPhone. The report notes that wireless carriers tend to subsidize cell phones, so determining profit margins is tough.