Over the years, we’ve witnessed smartphones developing steadily, from expensive, cumbersome (literally) pieces of gear to the sleek mini-computers that we know and love today. But getting our hands on the latest handheld powerhouse still comes with a steep price tag. Those quad-core processors, HD displays, 8MP cameras, and capacious storage modules sometimes require us to make heavy investments.

While our handheld devices play a major part in our lives, most of us don’t care about the tiny components that go into creating the “perfect” device. Moreover, we rarely think about the actual cost of these components. But how much does that hyped quad-core proc or that beautiful display in your phone actually cost? You’ll get an answer in an infographic by Nomura Equity Research, which recently released its 2012 Smartphone Guide.

Let’s take a look at some of these statistics. The graph is an in-depth analysis of the current status of smartphone technology and it’s quite self-explanatory. Here’s the infographic in a nicer PDF version.

Quick question: if 16GB of NAND Flash (the onboard storage) costs $22, why do manufacturers charge an extra $50 or $100 for the 32GB device version?

Not only does the graph give us a list of the various components and the associated cost, but it’s followed by a breakdown of the market share of both smartphone components and device manufacturers, average selling prices, and shipment statistics.

What are your thoughts? Any figures that you find surprising? Did you know the various individual components that make up your smartphone? Let us know in the comments section below.