Apple delays white iPhone 4, due to 'manufacturing challenges'

Earlier in the month when Apple hosted its grand 'antennagate' press conference, it announced that the alternative white version of the iPhone 4 would be arriving in the US at the end of July. Sadly that's no longer the case however, as Apple has pushed back the snowy smart phone's launch.

In a statement made by Apple, the Cupertino-based heavyweight said, "White models of Apple's new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we orignally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year."

The statement also says the availability of the "more popular" black iPhone 4 models is not affected. This delay is hardly the end of the world, but it's come at just the wrong time for JobsCo, which has only just got over the drama surrounding the iPhone 4's signal problems.

The reasons given for the delay are extremely mysterious if you ask us. We're no experts, but it's hard to see how making the same phone with a different body colour could cause such a hassle. We don't want to make any unfounded, outlandish claims (read: let's do exactly that), but could Apple possibly be taking the time to give the white iPhone 4 a more thorough hardware redesign to address the antenna issues? The device could then be released as a slightly different model, rather than a new iPhone altogether.

It's far more likely, though, that Apple is just a little behind with the manufacture scheduling, but it's fun to theorise. In fact, we want to hear your crackpot theories! Drop 'em in the comments or on our Facebook wall.