“Each iPhone sold will generate nearly a 50 percent gross margin for Apple Inc. and partner Cingular Wireless, giving the companies a hefty profit, as well as plenty of room for future price cuts, according to research firm iSuppli,” Katie Marsal reports for AppleInsider.

Marsal reports, “Based on a preliminary functional Bill of Materials (BoM) estimate, the firm calculates that the 4Gbyte version of the Apple iPhone will carry a $229.85 materials and manufacturing cost and a $245.83 total expense, yielding a 49.3 percent margin on each unit sold at the $499 retail price.”

Marsal reports, “Meanwhile, it said the 8GByte model will sport a $264.85 materials cost and a $280.83 total expense, amounting to a 46.9 percent margin at the $599 retail price. ‘While iSuppli has a high degree of confidence in its conclusions, these figures are considered preliminary until we perform an actual physical teardown and analysis of the iPhone,’ the firm said in a report released Thursday.”

Marsal reports, “The firm added that such a strong hardware profit is par for Apple’s course, with the company having achieved similar margins of 45 percent and more in products including the iMac and iPod nano. But with extensive competition in the music-phone market, it may need to cut into those margins to reduce pricing in the future. ‘With a 50 percent gross margin, Apple is setting itself up for aggressive price declines going forward,’ said Jagdish Rebello, PhD, director and principal analyst with iSuppli.”

Marsal includes a chart of the component costs breakdown in the full article here.
The figures are for component costs and do not include costs for, among other things, iPhone marketing.