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Did a white iPhone 4S just pop up in AT&T's system?
Judging from the clandestine screenshot you see above, it most certainly seems like that's the case. A helpful tipster sent us this tasty morsel, from AT&T's internal system, listing the "iPhone 4s White" beneath a handful of already familiar Apple handsets. Could it be? Is Cupertino actually planning on bringing a white version of its next iPhone out at launch? We're afraid only time will tell.
iTableous is a white iPhone 4 fit for a giant (video)
If you like flying unicorns, you probably love giant flying unicorns, right? Well, the white iPhone 4 has officially gone from myth to reality, but it seems some folks are still chasing the dream in a BIG way. Case in point: iTableous, an outsized tabletop bearing a striking resemblance to the long-awaited iOS handset. Unlike previous iPhone tables we've seen, this one doesn't support multi-touch -- a wireless keyboard and mouse hold the keys to navigating this behemoth -- but it does offer 4GB of DDR2 RAM, 500GB of internal storage, a 5.7 megapixel camera, 720p video recording, as well USB, HDMI and a good old 30-pin connector for hooking up the real-deal. What's more, this iPhone's a dual-booter, capable of running Mac OSX 10.6.7 (via Hackintosh) and Windows 7 Professional. If you're living at the tip of a beanstalk and need to shake that tired old 3GS, check out the video of iTableous in action after the break.
Walmart temporarily drops iPhone 4 price to $147, not that you'll be able to find one
Quick! Someone tell Walmart Black Friday isn't for another five and a half months. With no new iPhone in sight, the retailer is selling the 16GB version for $147 on contract -- the kind of stunt we'd expect it to pull in an effort to reel in holiday shoppers. Why do we sound so unappreciative, you might ask? Easy: because you probably won't be able to get your hands on one. The sale, which applies to AT&T and Verizon models, lasts until June 30, and only an unspecified number of "select" stores will even be participating. No word on how many discounted phones Walmart has to shill, but both the black and white versions are sold out online, which doesn't exactly bode well for your chances of scoring one in person.
iPhones now being sold by 200 carriers worldwide
Whether or not a new iPhone will be introduced this year is largely irrelevant to sales of the device, according to Goldman Sachs analyst Bill Shope, quoted in a Wall Street Journal All Things Digital post today. That's primarily due to the continuing addition of new carriers throughout the world. Apple officials noted that the company is now selling iPhones through 200 carriers, up from 186 at the beginning of April. This kind of continued expansion of sales of the iPhone 4 and 3GS all over the world means, according to Shope, "iPhone shipments can remain robust through this summer, even with a delayed product refresh." Shope believes that Apple's iPhone carrier expansion may actually be accelerating, which will further fuel sales of the iconic smartphone. We'll have to wait until Apple's third-quarter figures are available in July to find out for sure, but iPhone 4 sales may also have been helped by the long-delayed release of the white model.
White, black iPhones same thickness say Phil Schiller, Consumer Reports
A flurry of reports over the weekend claimed the White iPhone was just a bit thicker than the standard black model. Not true, said Apple's Phil Schiller in a tweet. Now, Consumer Reports has put the issue to the test. Using high quality digital calipers, the magazine's technicians found that both models were exactly the same size. Also, they determined that the white iPhone would fit in all iPhone 4 cases. Could it be that a different batch of white iPhones made it out of production slightly thicker? It's hard to understand how the earlier size figures could have been spurious, considering how many people observed the phenomenon. We first heard about the story from a post by Ryan Cash. TiPb then performed some measurements that supported Ryan's naked-eye evaluation. Engadget posted a picture, which certainly supported these claims. Wired.com reported that the new phone was 0.2 millimeters larger, but did not perform any tests. Interestingly, TiPb tested several cases and noted that they all fit, albeit somewhat snugly. There was speculation that the extra thickness was for UV protection. As of now, "thickness-gate" seems to have ended with a whimper rather than a bang.
Talkcast tonight, 10 PM EDT/7 PM PDT/4 PM HDT: Casper Phone Edition!
It's that time again kids! This week we have TONS to talk about, from the actual release of the Ghost Phone to the dust-up over iPhones and their location tracking and everything in between. Tonight we have a special guest, too! Chatting with me and the other TUAW staffers about the news of the week will be Editor-At-Large of The Mac Observer, Jeff Gamet! WARNING: If you have a delicate constitution, I feel it is my duty to warn you that Mr. Gamet will not be wearing pants. Forewarned is forearmed and all of that. Keep in mind that when you come for the show, you are invited to stay for the aftershow, and TUAWTF is never recorded for a very good reason. Your calls and questions help us make the show the best it can be, otherwise I'm just talking to myself! To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 PM EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (yay for free cell phone weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo, X-Lite, or Blink SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
White iPhone shipping times grow in Europe
From coming soon, to coming eventually, to arrives tomorrow, to finally here, the white iPhone 4 landed on Thursday with a promising premiere. Only one day after it became available, wait times for the pale iPhone 4 reached five days in several of Apple's European online stores, including the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Ireland. Currently, customers in the U.S. and Canada must wait a slightly more modest 3–5 days before their white iPhone 4s board a delivery vehicle. In contrast, the black iPhone 4 ships within a day or two. The iPhone 4 in white began shipping in 28 countries on April 28, delayed by about 10 months after the popular black version hit the market. The long delay for the alabaster phone, caused by various technical hurdles, created extra "mystique" and perceived "scarcity value" for the device, according to analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities. The appropriately named White expects the new color to incrementally boost iPhone 4 sales by 1 million to 1.5 million units per quarter. The sellout crowds in Hong Kong and mainland China and expanding shipping times in Europe and North America certainly support the idea that consumers were holding out for their preferred color of iPhone 4. Did you wait patiently for the vanilla-flavored iPhone 4? Let us know why in the comments below.
White iPhone reportedly sells out in China
Apple kicked off sales of the white iPhone 4 yesterday and the launch in China was marked by long lines and steady sales. According to interviews from those in line, many Asian consumers passed on the black version of the handset and waited for the white variant to make its debut. Sales were so strong that the white version is reportedly sold out in Beijing, one of China's largest cities. Hong Kong sales were also brisk with reports suggesting the available stock of the white iPhone 4 sold out in one hour. This demand for the white iPhone 4 was forecast by Brian White of Ticonderoga Securities. The analyst predicted sales of the white version would be strong in Asia where white is a desirable color. Besides delivering on a promise to launch the white iPhone 4 this spring, the launch of the white model will also keep Apple iPhone sales strong in the current quarter. Last quarter, Apple sold over 18 million iPhones globally.
White iPhone 4 thickness creates issue for case makers, owners
By now you've probably seen the latest spectacle to consume the white iPhone 4: it's thicker than the black model. The image above illustrates the point using a piece of lead from a mechanical pencil. So what, you say, in righteous indignation to a device that shipped ten months late. Well, the size difference creates a potential consumer issue since cases (at least the good ones) are manufactured against the tight tolerances supplied by Apple. We've confirmed ourselves, that an Incase slider that fits a black iPhone 4 just fine has to be forced into place on the new white model. Unfortunately, Apple's own spec page doesn't highlight the change in thickness (measured at 9.5mm by TiPb). Instead it still shows a 9.3mm depth with a tiny disclaimer stating, "Actual size and weight vary by configuration and manufacturing process." The result is confusion -- will this case fit or won't it? -- which is never a good thing for consumers. But why is the white iPhone 4 thicker? Phil Schiller mentioned that Apple needed to add extra UV protection among other tweaks, in an attempt to reduce the "unexpected interactions" between the white cover and the internal components. As such, Apple apparently needed to sacrifice some slimness for a better functioning white phone. In the end, we have what looks to be four different size / button configurations that must be considered when purchasing a shrink-wrapped case for your white iPhone 4, black iPhone 4, white Verizon iPhone 4, or black Verizon iPhone 4. Good luck with that. Additional reporting by Sam Sheffer [Thanks, Jon]
iPhone: "Does this white paint make me look fat?"
Ryan Cash had an opportunity to compare the new white iPhone with the more traditional black model that many of us know and love. Placed side-by-side on the desk, it appears that the white model is ever so slightly thicker. This is possibly due to a need to filter light, a design problem originally floated back last October and confirmed this week by Steve Jobs. Apple does not list any technical specification differences between the two models. If you've got a new iPhone 4 blanco, please let us know if you have any difficulty using an existing case or cover with it. Engadget has a pretty clear picture of what's going on here.
White iPhone 4 produces long lines in Beijing
The white Apple iPhone 4 made its retail debut today, and China is one market where demand is high for the long-awaited device. According to a report from Computerworld, hundreds of customers lined up outside the Apple Store in Beijing to buy the long-delayed white model. Customers in line confirmed they passed on the black model, which launched in September 2010, and waited for the white one to make its debut. "I don't like the black color," said line-waiter Annie Zhang. "I've always been waiting for the white-colored iPhone 4." Apple's presence in China is growing at an extraordinary rate. Apple's iPhone models account for 8.3 percent of China's smartphone market share, and sales of the iPhone in Q1 2011 grew by 250 percent year over year. The introduction of the white iPhone 4 will boost sales even higher in China, as white devices are popular there; the color white is often associated with purity and fulfillment in Chinese culture (also with funerals and mourning, but that's probably not what Apple is going for).
Apple Store back up, white iPhone now available
Hours after the white iPhone went on sale internationally and a lengthy downtime, it is now available through the US Apple Store, as well as AT&T and Verizon's websites. As mentioned earlier, the handset should be available at Apple's brick-and-mortar stores when they open later today. Apple's front and iPhone pages have yet to be updated with the now-available status of the phone, but will most likely mirror the "finally" ads that are appearing on AT&T and Verizon's sites. For those who have been waiting, happy shopping!
White iPhone 4 now available for sale internationally
The elusive white iPhone 4 is elusive no more. It's already gone on sale internationally; this included screenshot is from Vodafone in New Zealand. The white iPhone 4 is expected to see release in several international markets over the course of the day, with release in the US likely to come within the next few hours. The white iPhone 4 still hasn't shown up on Apple's own store site yet as of this writing, not even in countries where the handset has already been available from carriers' stores for several hours, but it should be available at the company's US brick-and-mortar stores when they open later today. If you've been waiting this long for the white iPhone 4 to come out, the good news is your wait is now over. The bad news? The iPhone 5 is probably coming out sometime in the next six months, so if you're the kind of person who has to have the latest and greatest gear, your wait might not be over after all.
White iPhone delay partly due to UV protection
In an interview with Ina Fried at AllThingsD, Phil Schiller and Steve Jobs gave a little insight into what made the white iPhone 4 so tough to produce. Actually, it wasn't really the manufacturing itself, but the materials science needed to make sure the white iPhone was in every way as capable and durable as the black-painted iPhone 4. Schiller told Fried, "...There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it – how it holds up over time...but also in how it all works with the sensors." There's also a reference to how the white iPhone needs more "UV protection" than the black one, which I would guess comes from the light that is not absorbed by the black paint passing through the white paint instead. There's a lot of tech that goes into the iPhone, and I'm really not surprised that something like a coating of white paint turned out to be tricky, but I think everyone (including Apple, it sounds like) was surprised at how long it took to sort this out. Still, the white iPhone goes on sale tomorrow. Will you get one? Will you apply sunscreen to it?
White iPhone proximity sensor, death grip tested on video
You don't have to watch the two videos after the break if you don't want to -- we'll just tell you that Italy's iSpazio blog tested the white iPhone's proximity sensor and "death grip" antenna seam issue, and that, surprise, they're both fine. The proximity sensor seems to work a little better than that on my black iPhone 4 (based on observations of this video), and while the "death grip" on the iPhone 4's antenna does make it lose a bar, reception is unaffected. So don't worry. The bigger question is why the white iPhone 4 took so long to arrive. We've heard Apple was working to improve the proximity sensor and antenna. Also, there may have been issues with the camera, or perhaps Apple had trouble nailing the perfect shade of white. There are a few improvements here, but (without having actually seen one myself) there's nothing that would conceivably cause a 10-month delay. Maybe it really was that shade of white -- was that worth 10 extra months? [via 9to5Mac]
White iPhone to arrive tomorrow (4/28) says Apple
Apple has announced that the white iPhone 4 will be available tomorrow, April 28th. You'll be able to find it at Apple's online store, Apple retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores and some Apple Authorized Resellers (call to confirm). The white iPhone will go on sale in 28 countries tomorrow, including Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, the U.S. and the UK. "The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it's beautiful," said Apple's Phil Schiller. "We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we've worked to get every detail right." As of this writing, the white iPhone has commandeered Apple's homepage. At last, the wait is over! Rumors suggested we'd see it this week, and here it is. If you pick up one of the snowy beauties tomorrow, please share your photos and stories. We'd love to hear all about it.
White iPhone 4 releases tomorrow, finally (update: Phil Schiller explains the delay)
The rare albino iPhone 4 has been spotted numerous times in the wild, skulking through the trees in the magical United Kingdom, cavorting across the mysterious lands of Vietnam, and most recently standing in formation in Belgium. Now it's coming somewhere rather less exotic: the Apple Store. Apple has finally announced it will release the white iPhone 4 tomorrow around the world. Here in the US it'll come in both AT&T and Verizon flavors, warming the hearts and minds of those who like a little less pigment on their handsets. Other than a proximity sensor tweak nothing else has changed on the device, and so the pricing remains the same: $199 on contract for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB. Sadly, though, your contract also remains the same, and we're pretty sure really wanting a new phone to match your earbuds isn't grounds for avoiding an ETF. Update: All Things D's Ina Fried had the pleasure to sit down with Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller to learn the reason behind the white iPhone 4's delay. According to Schiller, it wasn't as simple as getting the right whiteness like we reported previously -- turns out this is more to do with adding extra UV protection to keep the internal components behaving normally. Looking on the bright side, Jobs implied that this lesson allowed them to bring out the white iPad 2. Separately, some time ago our sources added that the white iPhone 4's spring launch window was set in stone back in September (and consequently announced in October), as Apple foresaw the need to delay the iPhone 5 to free up resources for the OS X Lion team and the new maps team ahead of WWDC in June. All will be revealed in good time.
White model to boost iPhone sales in upcoming quarter
Multiple rumors suggest Apple is gearing up to finally launch the white iPhone 4 later this week. While many are weary of these constant rumors, Ticonderoga securities analyst Brian White believes Apple fans and stockholders should be happy that the handset may be ready for its long-awaited debut. According to White "the white iPhone does matter" to Apple's earning potential in the upcoming quarter. White believes Apple will delay the launch of the iPhone 5 until September, and the arrival of the white iPhone 4 will bridge the gap between the launches of the original iPhone 4, the Verizon iPhone 4 and the iPhone 5. Apple will see an incremental boost in sales as the white model has a certain "mystique" about it that will prompt some buyers to make the jump and scoop up an iPhone 4. The demand for white devices in China is also high, and White predicts the blanc version of the iPhone will be especially hot in this Asian country. China is a growing market for Apple devices, and White notes that China accounted for 10 percent of Apple's total revenue over the past six months.
Apple gets its white iPhone 4 ducks in a row ahead of launch
Look, we all kinda, sorta know that Apple will finally admit it's springtime tomorrow and let the white iPhone 4 fly the nest. But in order to sell white iPhone 4s, you've got to ship them first, and one small Belgian retailer has just received its first batch of the mythical pale device and lined them up for some loving photography. Not only that, but they're even offering to sell you either the 16GB or 32GB over on their site (which, mind you, we can't vouch for!), though they can only ship within the Benelux region. One more pic after the break.
White iPhone 4 coming to Best Buy on Wednesday?
That, friends, is an inventory listing from Best Buy indicating the mythical white iPhone 4 will finally be in stock and for sale this Wednesday, April 27th (just in time to be overshadowed by rumors of the iPhone 5). Of course, we've seen it pop up in inventory systems before, including Best Buy's, only to be let down when the alleged street date came and went without so much as a glossy-white glimmer of hope. But, we've heard straight from Apple's Phil Schiller that it would ship in the spring, and with one already finding its way into the hands of a lucky Londoner a Wednesday release for the paler-than-black iPhone is looking plausible. Still, we're not quite ready to call this one confirmed. [Thanks, Anonymous]
