Hey there!

Yesterday, while searching for a new smartphone in Bangladesh, I realized that we could just purchase the individual components from some foreign manufacturer or OEM supplier and then proceed to building our own phones the way people build their own PCs!

For this article, it is being assumed that you are familiar with how to handle basic circuit engineering procedures, since you are expected to already own certain equipment, e.g. soldering iron, for which the capital costs are not being accounted for. Furthermore, it is being taken into consideration that there are no labour costs and you are doing everything by yourself, “DIY”. And ofcourse, you are expected to already be acquainted with a local hardware dealer or a Chinese exporter to keep the costs lower.

Why would you want to build your own phone(s)? Well, it could be any of the following reasons:

• practice manufacturing electronics as part of an EEE or CSE academic project
• build and design your own “merch” device with custom logos, colors, etc.
• start a side hustle selling phones and gaining publicity (and profits)
• impress your friends with your awesome skills
• build decoy devices for testing purposes

Alright then, let’s head on with the list of parts we would need to build each type of device:

Budget Phone

This smartphone is meant for those who are not familiar with how to use Android devices yet (toddlers, senior elders, etc.) and are willing to give it a try. The hardware specifications are certainly not sufficient for a modern-day experience of what a smartphone can accomplish! Rather, it is simply a phone for people who are on a tight budget.

• Custom PCB Layout [ USD 2-USD 3 ]
• Misc. Screws etc. [ USD 0.5 ]
• Packaging [ USD 2-USD 3 ]

Max. Cost = USD 38

Rec. Selling Price = USD 40

The pricing here is shown as the “maximum” cost that would be incurred. If proper economies of scale are applied, you could reduce the costs to far below USD 30 and then sell each device for only USD 30-USD 35!

Decent Phone

This smartphone would be considered the “entry-level” basic for a satisfactory immersion into what the digital world of the 2020s looks and feels like. This phone would be suited for general purpose usage, although resource-intensive activities such as gaming may not work smoothly. If you are just a social media addict or anime streaming fanatic, this “handheld magicbox” is perfect!

• Custom PCB Layout [ USD 2-USD 3 ]
• Misc. Screws etc. [ USD 0.5 ]
• Packaging [ USD 5-USD 8 ]

Max. Cost = USD 78

Rec. Selling Price = USD 90

The pricing here is shown as the “maximum” cost that would be incurred. If proper economies of scale are applied, you could reduce the costs to far below USD 70 and then sell each device for only USD 70-USD 80!

Gaming Phone

Now, this is the smartphone desired by the majority of consumers - solely for the purposes of recording cool montages on PUBG Mobile or Free Fire, catching up on Genshin Impact or even running Zenless Zone Zero on your mobile device while you’re away from your gaming beast PC back home. As such, the components have been picked for providing the best value for your money (or your customers’ money).

• Custom PCB Layout [ USD 2-USD 3 ]
• Misc. Screws etc. [ USD 0.5 ]
• Packaging [ USD 5-USD 8 ]

Max. Cost = USD 196

Rec. Selling Price = USD 300

The pricing here is shown as the “maximum” cost that would be incurred. If proper economies of scale are applied, you could reduce the costs to far below USD 190 and then sell each device for USD 190-USD 200!

Premium Phone

Welcome to the beginning of the high-end territory. From here onwards, expect the best of the best components constructing your phone for being criticized and evaluated by top tech reviewers whether your phone meets the “flagship” criterion. The following device described herein is capable of almost anything you can imagine!

• Custom PCB Layout [ USD 5-USD 10 ]
• Misc. Screws etc. [ USD 1 ]
• Packaging [ USD 15-USD 20 ]

Max. Cost = USD 535

Rec. Selling Price = USD 800

The pricing here is shown as the “maximum” cost that would be incurred. If proper economies of scale are applied, you could reduce the costs to far below USD 500 and then sell each device for USD 500-USD 550!

Flagship Phone 2024

This is the best mobile device to build and sell, capable of competing with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra top-tier smartphones.

• Custom PCB Layout [ USD 15-USD 20 ]
• Misc. Screws etc. [ USD 1 ]
• Packaging [ USD 15-USD 20 ]

Max. Cost = USD 1004

Rec. Selling Price = USD 1200

The pricing here is shown as the “maximum” cost that would be incurred. If proper economies of scale are applied, you could reduce the costs to far below USD 990 and then sell each device for USD 990-USD 1000!

If you do not have access to a local supplier for electronic components, then you could order them online on Alibaba, AliExpress, Mouser, and DigiKey. You can find PCBs on JLPCB, PCBWay, etc.

You may also need additional licenses and/or permits before you can legally sell your phones commercially.