Apple Inc.'s latest iteration of its popular iPad is new and improved—but its parts cost about the same as the first version of the tablet device, according to a researcher who dissected the product.
The iPad 2's 32-gigabyte model with a GSM/HSPA air standard carries a bill of materials totaling $326.60, while the 32-gigabyte version equipped with a CDMA air standard has a materials bill of $323.25, according to IHS iSuppli. That compares with a $320 bill of materials for the first-generation 32-gigabyte iPad, based on April 2010 pricing.
Much has been made of late of Apple's ability to price the iPad lower than many competing tablets, helping to keep the California computing giant's device floating at the top of a growing list of competitors.
"Despite the obvious changes to iPad like the enclosure and the battery and the less obvious changes in the touch screen, the iPad 2's components and design are remarkably similar if not the same as those of the iPad 1," said Andrew Rassweiler, teardown-services manager for IHS.
He noted that many components "have the same suppliers and are essentially new revisions of the chips found in the previous iPad and other iPhones."
The iPad 2 flew off the shelves in its first weekend on the market: It was introduced Friday evening and by Sunday, Apple's online store was showing a shipping delay of three to four weeks for all versions of the device.
Analysts put sales of the new iPad in a range of 400,000 to 600,000 units during its first three days on the market, about the same range as the original model sold in its first week.
Write to Nathan Becker at nathan.becker@dowjones.com
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