What will the next iPhone be called? Rumors have recently pegged it as being christened the iPhone 4S when it debuts in September, but would Apple really signify that the next iPhone is really just a slight revision over the current model… right in the brand name?
I think they will. Here’s why.
As with any new Apple product, shortly after its release the white iPhone 4 received a customary teardown to see what’s inside. You’d be forgiven for thinking the internals for the white device are exactly the same as those featured within its black counterpart, but surely Apple changed something while it was delayed for all those months?
Well, the first teardowns for the new device reveal changes to both the proximity sensor and the rear-facing camera lens. One of the rumored issues which caused the white handset’s delay was light leakage into the camera; it seems Apple has rectified this issue with a more recessed camera lens.
As you can see in the comparison photo (top), the camera lens on the white device on the right is embedded much deeper into its surround, when compared to the lens featured on the black device on the left.
As for the proximity sensor, these are also different on each device, however, it’s currently unclear how the two components differ. Its obvious from recent images of the white iPhone 4 that Apple has modified the design of the proximity sensor externally: what was once tiny little holes above the device’s speaker is now a much more pronounced opening.
As we are all well aware by now, yesterday saw the launch of the white iPhone 4 in 29 countries around the world. What you may not be aware of, however, is that the white iPhone is ever so slightly thicker than the black model, as discovered by some early adopters of the device.
A MacRumors reader was one of the first to discover the difference, and emailed the site to let them know:
Just picked up the white iPhone 4 and realized it doesn’t fit into my Incase slider case. It appears that Apple has increased the size of the plastic that borders the glass on both sides by about 1mm
Ryan Cash of Marketcircle also discovered the difference, but it didn’t take an ill-fitting case for him to realize: Cash claims to have noticed simply by picking the device up:
A colleague of mine just picked up a 16 GB iPhone 4 in white. I was a bit surprised when I picked it up off his desk (I had my black 32 GB in my other hand at the same time) – it immediately felt thicker. We placed them side-by-side on his desk, and sure enough, the white iPhone was a hair thicker.
While the vast majority of us gave up hope on the white iPhone 4 and just bought the black one instead, one analyst believes that the white device’s “mystique and scarcity value” could generate 1-1.5 million sales per quarter for Apple. Brian White, an analyst at Ticonderoga, believes the delay in the white iPhone’s release could drive sales.
Speaking to The San Jose Mercury News, White said:
The purchase of consumer electronic devices is not always a completely rational decision, and people buy Apple products for many different reasons, including status, aesthetics, functionality, quality and the ‘cool factor.’
In our view, this delay has created a certain mystique and scarcity value around the white iPhone 4 that we believe could drive incremental iPhone 4 purchases in the range of 1 million to 1.5 million units per quarter until the iPhone 5 potentially comes to market in September.
The white iPhone 4 finally went on sale today – 10 months after it was announced. Various manufacturing difficulties were blamed for its delay, and at times many speculated the device would never make it to market. A Cult of Mac poll yesterday revealed that only 12.41% of readers will buy the white iPhone, while 40.98% said they were now waiting for the next generation of the device.
[via MacLife]
The white iPhone 4 is finally going to be released tomorrow after nearly a year of questions, speculation, and overall doubt. The real questions is, are you going to buy one? Please participate in the poll below. There are plenty of choices to choose from, so the results should be interesting!
[polldaddy poll=4980606]
Happy voting!
Apple has today issued a press release and finally confirmed the launch date of the white iPhone 4. It will be available beginning tomorrow, April 28th, from Apple’s online store, its retail stores, AT&T and Verizon stores, and select Apple authorized resellers.
It was also be available from various carriers in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.K.
Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president – who confirmed in a tweet that the device would launch this spring – said in the press release:
The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it’s beautiful. We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we’ve worked to get every detail right.
The device launches 10 months after it was first announced, with various manufacturing issues rumored to be the cause of the delay. Apple’s official statement will finally spell the end of white iPhone 4 rumors. Oh, Lord, what a wonderful day.
White iPhone this! White iPhone that!
Who’s sick of it already?
[polldaddy poll=4975121]
It seems more and more likely that Wednesday will be the day the infamous white iPhone 4 is launched, finally putting an end to the rumors that have surrounded the device for the last 10 months since it was originally announced. There’s one more before the big day, however: it seems that only the 16GB model of the device will be available when it hits stores.
A UPS shipping invoice obtained by Boy Genius Report shows a shipment of 20 white iPhone 4 16GB units destined for one AT&T store, while there are no 32GB units to be seen. A separate report over the weekend claims that both models of the device were being shipped to Best Buy stores across the U.S., but inventory numbers for the 32GB device could not be confirmed.
If you’ve waited 10 months for a white iPhone 4, it seems you may be stuck with a 16GB model if you have no intention of waiting any longer.
It’s safe to assume the white iPhone 4 won’t be on the list of Apple’s best product launches.
Pictures taken by a source at Best Buy reveal that the retailer’s inventory database is currently listing an April 27th launch date for the elusive white iPhone 4. The device featured in the pictures is the GSM model – which supports the AT&T network – though it is expected that the CDMA model designed for Verizon will launch on the same day.
One report over the weekend claims that 16GB and 32GB models of the white iPhone 4 have already been shipped to Best Buy stores located throughout the U.S. – with around 10 16GB models on order for each store. Inventory numbers for the 32GB are currently unconfirmed.
Looks like the white iPhone 4 is just about to be released.
One customer in the UK was able to buy a 16GB white iPhone 4 from Vodaphone, and an internal memo from BelCompany in the Netherlands says the near-mythical handset is being released next week — Wednesday, April 27th.
In addition, retailers in Europe are getting supplies of the iPhone with “do not open until April 27” stickers, says 9to5Mac.
It is not clear, however, if that is the worldwide launch for the white iPhone 4. But it certainly looks like it.
An iPhone 4 running a “test version” of iOS has been discovered by Vietnamese site tinhte.vn, and reveals a new Expose-like multitasking UI and a revamped Spotlight search function. Two videos published by the site demonstrate these new features, along with some pretty interesting hardware in the form a white, 64GB iPhone 4.
In this test version of iOS, double-tapping the home button displays your multitasking applications in a manner similar to that of Expose on your Mac. Instead of icons for the applications you have running – like you currently see in iOS 4 – you see a preview window for each application.
For some time yesterday, UK carrier Three gave customers the opportunity to purchase the white iPhone 4 through its website for delivery on Wednesday, April 20th. The carrier later removed the listing as news spread over the web, but was this simply an error, or did Three just reveal the device’s launch date?
Well, recent reports have suggested that the device is now in production, and will launch by the end of April. Although Apple is yet to give customers an official date, it may have provided this information to carriers.
Having said that, we still think someone at Three made a slight cock up, and that this listing means nothing. It’s not the first time the carrier has listed the device on its website either; back in January the white iPhone 4 appeared on Three’s website, thought it was listed as “out of stock.”
[via 9to5 Mac]
Not so long ago, Apple removed all images of the white iPhone 4 from its website and it seemed for a brief period that the device would never launch. While rumors turned to the iPhone 5, the white device seemed to have been disregarded. That period didn’t last very long, and speculation about the device is now very much in full flow once again.
Last week Apple confirmed that the white iPhone 4 would launch this spring, while a Bloomberg report claimed that it could launch before the end of April.
It now seems April 26th could be the special day. In an exclusive report, iPhoneItalia (Google translation) cites information they have received from a “reliable source,” who has confirmed the device will arrive on that date.
So, if you’re still waiting, you have another date to pencil into your calendar. However, we’d suggest that you don’t start camping out in front of stores just yet.
Following a long 10-month delay, the wait for Apple’s white iPhone 4 could soon be over, according to three people with knowledge of the company’s plans. The device will be available through both AT&T and Verizon Wireless and will launch by the end of April.
A Bloomberg report on Wednesday cites three people who are familiar with Apple’s plans, while another report published on Thursday by Reuters cites two more who also claim the white iPhone 4 is currently in production.
A bout of manufacturing challenges have delayed the device – which is rumored to have included paint that becomes discolored and peels under heat, light leakage into the camera, and light leakage out of the case – the device that many thought would never see the light of day could finally be released from the Foxconn factory.
Despite a message on Twitter last month from Apple’s vice president Phil Schiller, confirming the white device would be available this spring, the recent removal of any image depicting the device from Apple’s website fuelled rumors that the handset would not be launching.
[via AppleInsider]
Even though the white iPhone 4 is supposedly on track for this Spring, why wait?
If you already own an iPhone 4, you can upgrade from black to white for just $150. BigShoulderDevices.com supplies all the parts you need to completely transform your current black iPhone 4 into a white one. The parts are so good, I suspect some of them may come from Apple through the back door.
There are a couple of issues, but is it worth the money? Continue reading to find out! Hint: The white iPad 2 plus the white iPhone 4 is a truly beautiful combination.
Confirming our exclusive report back in October, Woz says the white iPhone 4 weas delayed because of light leakage into the camera, ruining photos.
But not to worry, the white iPhone 4 is coming soon Woz told the Engadget Show last night.
Rumors suggest Apple has fixed the light leakage issue with new paint, and the white iPhone 4 has recently been showing up in inventory systems at AT&T and Best Buy.
Via VentureBeat.
The white iPhone’s light-leakage issues may have been fixed with a new kind of paint, the Japanese site Macotakara reports.
As previously reported exclusively by CultofMac.com, the white iPhone 4 was delayed because light leaks into the camera ruining photos, especially when the internal flash is used.
According to the Macotakara, Apple has partnered with an unnamed Japanese company that has developed a “miracle painting material.” The new paint helps Apple control the thickness prior to application, solving the light-leakage issues. However, the Japanese blog posts gives new meaning to the term ‘vague.’ Details are scarce.
Either way, the white iPhone 4 looks to be launching soon. The device has already appeared in both wireless carriers’ websites in the U.K.
More evidence to suggest Apple’s elusive white iPhone 4 is coming this spring has appeared in the U.K. today, as operators Three and Orange are now listing the white device on their websites. Although both websites are showing the device as “unavailable” or “out of stock,” the fact that they’ve been added to the inventory reinforces hopes that the device is on its way.
This discovery follows news earlier today that AT&T is also listing the white iPhone 4 in its ‘Online Account Management System’, suggesting once again that the device will be available soon. AT&T also give no indication to the device’s availability, however, many are expecting a late February or early March release.
Apple has been promising the white iPhone since its launch 7 months ago, but following several delays and countless rumors regarding manufacturing issues and imperfections, the device is still yet to be made available.
If the white iPhone 4 does show its face late next month, what does this say about the iPhone 5 expected to be announced this June? Although there is still demand for the iPhone 4, it seems strange to me that Apple would still go ahead and release the white device just several months before announcing the next-generation iPhone.
I have a bet for my pinky finger with a certain man from the south that Apple will never release the white iPhone 4.
What’s the point? After long delays caused by light leaking onto the camera sensor, the white iPhone 4 has been delayed nearly nine months… and the next-gen iPhone is, at best, due out a mere three months after the white iPhone 4 is set to debut. At that point, anyone who wants one is going to just wait for a white iPhone 5.
I’d always assumed Apple was just hoping that delaying it until spring of 2011 would just get everyone to forget about the white iPhone 4, but their latest official signage at Apple Stores around the country reminds people that the albino iPhone 4 is still coming.
Crap. Maybe I’m about to lose that pinky bet after all.
The New York teenager who made a small fortune making white iPhone 4s has shut down his website.
“We have closed the site, possibly permanently,” said Lam, 17, in an email to CultofMac.com.
It’s not clear why Lam shut the whiteiPhone4now.com website down. He didn’t elaborate. But Apple is the obvious suspect. Lam has already received a threatening letter from a private investigator representing Apple, who accused Lam of “selling stolen goods.”
Lam reportedly earned more than $130,000 delivering white iPhone 4s using grey market parts.
The new MacBook Air is Apple’s least self-repairable notebook yet, thoroughly bolted down by proprietary Torx screws, but if you thought that was just an anomaly, think again: Apple’s so averse to you cracking open your iPhone that they are actually retrofitting proprietary screws into iPhone 4’s brought in for in-warranty servicing.
One New York teenager was so put out by Apple’s endless delays in delivering the white iPhone 4 that he used gray market sources to build a $130,000 business selling them himself.
17 year old Fei Lam started whiteiPhone4now.com after production problems (namely, light leaking through the casing and onto the camera’s sensor) caused the first of the white iPhone 4’s delays.
Like many similar sites, whiteiPhone4now.com sells aftermarket conversion kits that allow iPhone 4 owners to mod their iPhone 4s to a white model themselves.
Unlike most of those other sites, though, Lam knows a guy who knows a guy who works at Foxconn, and was able to get Apple certified white iPhone 4 components shipped to him straight in Queens.
If you’ve been waiting to buy the white iPhone 4, we hope you’ve caved by now and just gone black instead. It’s hard to think of a more troubled product: not only has the white iPhone 4 undergone a troubled manufacturing history thanks to light leaking into the camera sensor, but Apple’s said that we can’t expect to see one until spring 2011… just three months before they unveil the fifth-generation handset.
To be honest, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the white iPhone 4 is probably never going to arrive: at this point, it makes more sense for Apple to aim to have the white iPhone ready for June for simultaneous launch with the iPhone 5 than try to sell the white iPhone 4 at the tail end of the current generation.
In fact, that’s just what Boy Genius Report is now claiming, saying that the white iPhone 4 has been secretly canceled. Not that Apple will admit as much: BGR says that they will instead just claim there’s another delay in March, and assume everyone will forget about the debacle of the white iPhone 4 by June.
Apple’s probably right: the longer the white iPhone 4 is delayed, the more the returns diminish on actually releasing it. Time for an informal poll: how many of our readers are still holding out for the white iPhone 4? Let us know in the comments.
