Where’s the White iPhone 4?

Those who held off on getting their iPhone 4 in June (or shortly after) because they wanted a white device have had a rough go of it. On July 23rd, we saw Apple release the third date that it plans to launch the white model. Even so, all they’re giving us is an estimate, and this comes shortly after Steve Jobs announced that we should expect a July launch date. As we all know, we’re into August already, and still the white iPhone 4 remains somewhere on the horizon. The latest press release states that it will be available “later this year,” leaving us to wonder, what gives?

Raven Lovecraft of TGDaily simplifies the matter this way: “They apparently are just having a really tough time finding white paint.”

But if that answer doesn’t cut it for you, then we turn back to Apple’s latest press release, in which they tell us that manufacturing the white iPhone continues to be more challenging than they expected. This clearly leaves anyone who cares about the matter wanting for even the slightest details, but we’re not going to get them from Apple. Instead, we have to look at the history of the white iPhone and weigh the opinions of some analysts who sound like they know what they’re talking about.

Problems surrounding white iPhones are not without precedent. Think back, if you can remember, to when the white iPhone 3GS launched. It didn’t take long for many customers to get pretty ticked off when the back of their phones became discolored. But at least then we were able to figure out the problem. The white part of the phones frequently turned to a light brown or pink as a result of overheating, a condition that stemmed from extensive 3G use, GPS tracking, game playing, and even just a long time playing music or browsing the web on Wi-Fi. Back then, it was largely suspected that the problems could be blamed on flawed battery cells that couldn’t handle the extra stress of heavy use.

But we’ve moved forward, and it wouldn’t seem like the white iPhone 4, with its new battery and overhauled physical design in general, would be suspect of the same problems . . . Many would like to think that the delay has been extended thanks to “antennagate.” Could it be that Apple is altering the design so that the “death grip” is history and required bumper cases are a thing of the past?

Even though Apple has now admitted the design flaw, this seems profoundly unlikely when you consider the epic process certainly involved in going back to the drawing board, ordering parts, and getting manufacturing underway. An analyst with iSupply, Tina Teng, suspects that the delay is more likely a result of Apple not running the production lines in parallel. This means that Apple would have to fulfill the demand for the black unit (which we know has been overwhelming) before it can move on to the long-awaited white. Teng also mentions the availability of certain materials as a possible cause, most likely in reference to the glass, which comes in a highly-specialized white tint that must be very exact to be approved by Apple’s designers. It’s a process that involves mixing multiple layers and dyes, and it could just be a more involved technique than required by the black models.

For those of us still waiting, we can hold onto hope that, once the white iPhone 4 reaches us, it is free of antenna flaws and won’t discolor no matter what we try to make it do. Although, taking a look at the bigger picture, the facts lean toward basic supply, demand, and manufacturing hurdles that don’t lend themselves well to the accurate timelines we all crave when waiting for a new gadget. All we can do is wait . . . It’s either that, or buy a black iPhone and some acrylic white paint, then get crafty (not advisable).

Update: There’s another solution to DIY white iPhone 4. Read our How to make your own White iPhone 4 for more details.

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Devin Wieland

 

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