White iPhone 4 delayed due to "challenging" manufacturing process

Apple have confirmed that there will be substantial delays before the release of the white iPhone 4 handset. The jump from black to white has not been quite as simple as the Cupertino company had first expected, it would seem.

“White models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year.”

So what’s causing the delays then? Surely merely giving the chassis a new lick of paint isn’t that difficult? A couple of theories are doing the rounds. First up is the suggestion that the iPhone 4 White edition will be getting a 7% speed boost and extended battery, but that’s just not going to happen. Others are suggesting that Apple are trying to speed up production on white iPhone 4 bumper cases to match the new handset, while there is still of course a chance that Apple are trying to iron out the signalling problems this time around.

Apple were keen to promote the black iPhone 4 however. “The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected”, said the statement. That more “popular” variant being the only one available to buy at the moment, right? Bit of an unfair advantage really!