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Opinion: So the white iPhone 4 is delayed - big deal

Doesn't matter if it's black or white

Opinion: So the white iPhone 4 is delayed - big deal
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Michael Jackson sang that it doesn't matter if you're black or white, but considering all the commotion over the release of Apple's white iPhone 4 it seems the King of Pop's message has been lost. (Either that or it doesn't really apply to phones - ed).

What's so difficult about manufacturing a white mobile phone? More importantly, why does it even matter?

Amid a furore over iPhone 4 reception problems related to the antenna design, it seems laughable that there's such concern over the availability of a white model. If the device is as horrendous as complainers would have us believe, then why in the world should we care about a white version of the phone?

White-hot controversy

Of course, antenna-gate is nowhere near the catastrophe that detractors have made it out to be (it is an issue that Apple needs to and has actively been addressing) and the delayed release of the white iPhone 4 is not Earth-shattering.

It is, however, an interesting example of the difficulties in manufacturing white electronics, the role fashion plays in gadgetry, and the general drama that surrounds an Apple product launch.

It's easy to scoff at Apple's reason for delaying the white iPhone 4, but there's a legitimate issue in manufacturing white gadgets. The amount of carbon in white plastics is significantly less than that in black plastics, making it much less strong.

High tech fashion

iPhone 4 isn't made of plastic, but the glass and steel device conceivably is facing the same durability issues. Stained glass, for example, is more fragile than traditional tempered glass. That's why stained glass windows are fitted within metallic frames to ensure the glass doesn't collapse on itself (notwithstanding the artistry in framing different panels).

It's possible to create high durability coloured glass, but the process takes two to three times longer than regular tempered glass. Since the cooling process for strengthened coloured glass requires more time, it's entirely reasonable that Apple would need additional time to manufacture the glass used in white iPhone 4 handsets.

The fact that there's a hubbub around a white iPhone demonstrates the fashion concerns of today's gadget owners. A decade ago, colour wasn't among the factors determing the purchase of a mobile phone.

The ubiquitous nature of portable electronics makes having a unique-looking device attractive. Even more, the rarity of white iPhone 4 (read: 'it's unavailable') makes it extremely attractive. Everybody wants what they can't have.

Relax, it's not a big deal

Perhaps most disturbing is the haste with which critics have dramatised the situation. Apple has been riding high on the success of iPhone and many are eager to see the company stumble.

Delaying the release of a white version of a device that's already available on the market is hardly big news. Yet it's being interpreted as a fiasco that somehow proves Apple is troubled.

Issues with the manufacturing don't equate to a complete failure in Apple's design. It does point to a larger issue of how the company deals with product quality, though.

Rather than release an inferior product, Apple is willing to delay the release of white iPhone 4 handsets to ensure it meets quality standards. Had the device been released and problems were reported, Apple would have been blasted for releasing a poor product.

If anything, the situation demonstrates Apple's commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. So chill out - you'll get your chance to buy a white iPhone 4 when it's good and ready.

Tracy Erickson
Tracy Erickson
Manning our editorial outpost in America, Tracy comes with years of expertise at mashing a keyboard. When he's not out painting the town red, he jets across the home of the brave, covering press events under the Pocket Gamer banner.