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Divided into several stages, the production of a smartphone consists of much more than simply deg and assembling it. Do you know how a cell phone is made? 2g3o5q
from the first iPhone, just over 10 years ago, smartphones have evolved a lot, both in of market and technology. As the models became more sophisticated and their main features became more accessible, these little devices took over the world and, since 2011, this market generates more sales and profits than the computer market. Who knew, huh?
So let's get down to business? Links to the cell phone production process from conception to market launch:
Research and Development 5h1b2k
Few people this part, but the main phase in producing a smartphone is research and development. The manufacturer needs to idealize the product based on its selling price and production cost. It is precisely at this moment that the company will decide how to profit from a given release after all production expenses have been paid.
Of course, the aesthetics and functionality that must be innovative to win over the public are also considered at this time, but they need to be combined with the desired financial profit. In other words, strategic planning!
Therefore, the production cost It doesn’t just involve the cost of assembly and the components themselves. All money invested in the project and in what comes after launch (marketing, distribution and infrastructure) needs to be in the budget and be covered by the estimated financial return.
A curious case is that of Xiaomi. The manufacturer claims that it is able to deliver such low prices because it reverses the usual logic of its competitors. While a competitor inflates prices at the beginning of sales to pay project costs, the Xiaomi pays for development with the drop in production costs, which occurs months later. In contrast, Xiaomi's prices usually fall less from time to time.
Partnerships for production of parts 465o27
In the case of a high-end product, which usually ships with more sophisticated sensors and hardware, it is usually necessary to establish contracts with suppliers so that everything is ready by the start of production.
In other words, this is where Qualcomm, Sony, Samsung and the like, with the intention of selling their processors, image sensors and memories, enter the game as partners of the manufacturer said to be the main one.
This is why the iPhone, for example, has memories, displays, cameras and sensors produced by third parties and not itself. Apple . In certain cases, the manufacturer in question may even develop the component, however, in the vast majority of situations, a third party will be responsible for producing the part.
And what's left for manufacturers, then? 3c6k58
Image: Publicity/Motorola
Briefly speaking: the concept and logistics. The manufacturer will be responsible for all the value added to that product, which includes the brand and its value, design, exclusive features, product distribution, quality testing, post-purchase and, mainly, the marketing involving that launch.
In certain cases, the manufacturer will also be responsible for the production of certain parts of the device, but this is not a rule. Typically, companies that have their own screen divisions, for example, conduct business with their subsidiaries, which keeps money moving, but always within the same company.
On the other hand, smartphones ship a number of different components and The manufacturer in question does not always produce them. In other cases, it still ends up being cheaper to buy from third parties than 'from yourself'.
A good example of this phenomenon is the Samsung, which splits the production of the image sensors for its devices between a third-party company, Sony, and its own sensor division, ISOCELL. Certain regions receive smartphones with cameras ISOCELL, while other countries, in turn, receive cameras from the Sony on your devices. And yes, the cameras are identical.
This happens for several reasons, but mainly because of the region where that smartphone will be sold. In a factory in Brazil, for example, it may be much more expensive to import Samsung components from South Korea or China. In these cases, it ends up being more viable to buy from local (or closer) producers.
As a result, the vast majority of factories produce practically nothing, they just assemble and distribute. In case of Brazil, which is not very significant in the semiconductor industry, high-tech factories usually receive chips, sensors and other parts completely ready. The work of these 'factories' is to unite these parts into a functional and quality device.
An example is that of Motorola, which has a factory located in Jagauriuna, in the interior of the state of São Paulo. In celebration of the ten years since the launch of the Moto G line, showmetech He already had the opportunity to visit the place and he tells you all the details about how smartphones are assembled to be sent throughout Brazil. Check out:
Tests and approval 5b571p
Image: Disclosure
After the manufacturer analyzes all the costs and designs the entire production infrastructure, which includes selecting partners, preparing factories – and above all: having the product idealized and designed, what has to be done is to produce the prototype units and test them.
This process is an intermediary between development and final production. The company must carry out a series of tests with what it has designed and, in countries that have a regulatory body, approve the production of that product.
The tests of this process should not be confused with the so-called 'quality tests', carried out during the device's production phase. At this stage, what will be tested is not the quality of the manufacturing process, but the proper functioning of the project. In short, this is the time to see if everything that was imagined for the model is really applicable to the real world and its most adverse conditions.
It is at this point that the manufacturer tests whether the components sold by partners work in all regions where the product will be sold; whether that particular modem is actually compatible with the network bands used in a country.
And the flaws? l1w1d
It is also at this stage that failures and leaks are most likely to arise. If we take into that prototypes usually have many of the components and characteristics of the final model, it is possible to understand why so many devices leak at this stage.
Image: Pexels
After analyzing whether the selected materials and components work well in practice (in various regions of the world, under various thermal conditions, humidity and under various types of use), the device continues to have its validation ed on the market. In Brazil, this happens through the Anatel.
Despite dealing specifically with telecommunications (and the risks involving this part of a telephone), the Anatel requires a series of requirements for a smartphone or other equipment equipped with wireless telecommunications to be regulated and accepted in Brazil.
production and distribution 3g6n73
Image: CNET
As much as this phase of smartphone manufacturing appears to be the most complex, the assembly processes tend to be relatively simple. To achieve this, companies invest in automation and cutting-edge equipment – less complication and less chance of something going wrong.
In most production chains, including those operating in our country, in Manaus, a large part of the work is done in the way we mentioned before: no component is actually manufactured inside the factory (however ironic that may sound).
Without any chip attached, the motherboard is the first to be part of the assembly: robots and extremely precise machines position the soldering material at specific points and which, later, inside an oven, will allow each of the chips to be fixed. , sensors and other connections in their proper place. This process needs to be automated and simplified, as it avoids expenses and increases production capacity.
Image: CNET
On the way to the end of the assembly line, other parts of the smartphone will be attached, such as the chassis that houses the board, now with all its components, the front glass, next to the display, and, finally, the casing that surrounds it all. . Little by little, what was just a circuit board is becoming a real smartphone. Minutes later, the device is practically ready.
quality tests 2o1s4q
Then, in quality testing, the devices are connected and operated in a system that allows all essential functions to be tested quickly. A single interface allows you to test the camera, buttons, touchscreen, speakers, vibration, displaying different colors on the screen and other features, which will not necessarily exist on all smartphones.
If everything is found to be OK at this stage, it is very likely that, in a common production line, this device will already go to the final assembly processes, receiving its identification (label with serial number information and the like), and, subsequently, , its packaging.
packaging and launch 5c1f4e
Image: Disclosure/Apple
It's worth noting that to get to you, he needs to win you over first. This is where the development of marketing campaigns comes in, with both visual and emotional appeal, capable of awakening the desire to purchase almost immediately.
And the packaging, in addition to ensuring that all applicable accessories are available, also serves the aesthetic function of being irresistible. Nowadays, companies like Apple They have perfected the art of packaging to the point where it is difficult to imagine a poorly packaged smartphone.
Image: MacRumors
The whole process of how a cell phone is made is incredible, isn’t it? Of course, there is no way to cover all the details of the manufacturing process as complex as this, either because it would take forever to talk about everything, or because the steps may vary depending on the model of the electronics in question.
To collect all these and other information about how the cell phone is made, the showmetech met with the product manager of Samsung Brazil in 2017. During a very fun interview, he told us a little more about all the work of producing a device from scratch and delivering it into your hands. Take a look!
See also other features
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Sources: Cool Smartphone e Medium.
