Don't think the device will be unlocked out of the box.. Looking over all the specs it's clear, this phone will be priced higher than the 950 series. We might be looking at iPhone prices lol which is a bold move :/ They'll definitely want to hook up with a carrier so they can bring the price down via contracts
Not sure about that. QHD screens are actually cheaper when they're a bit larger as opposed to smaller. The Snapdragon 820 is actually cheaper than the 810. I think the 950s have healthy margins on them and were priced higher to leave room for OEMs below them. Even the 550 and 650 are priced higher than they should be when you consider their components. Microsoft is no longer going super cheap, they are going higher and giving room to OEMs.
The HP Elite X2 costs the same as the Surface Pro 4, but comes with a keyboard, so it really costs $130 less. The 950XL is the competition for the X3. That XL is only $649. I think HP can hit $599 on this device.
The LG V10 is a 5.7" Quad HD phone with a secondary display. It's $599. I see no reason why this HP cannot come in at that price. Depending on margins, they may be able to get it down as low as $549. It won't be a dirt cheap device, but at $549 it would only be $23 a month on Verizon's 24 month payment plan.
HP needs to make money, but they also need to make it attractively priced. Windows 10 also has an advantage because it is a zero cost license on Mobile. Android is too, but all the Google stuff and patent issues mean that it really isn't a zero dollar license. So I'd argue that could make margins better on W10M.
I have no info on the price. I'm just guessing. I think they could price it at $599 or maybe a little lower while still making money but coming in at an aggressive price point below the 950XL and below other phablets.
LG priced the V10 specifically to undercut the Note. I see HP doing the same and who knows if some of the camera parts, fingerprint scanners, etc aren't shared in other devices and can lower the parts cost.