White iPhone 4 seen in public, test finds issues with camera flash

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
As a white iPhone 4 was spotted in public, another handset constructed using leaked alleged official parts demonstrates issues with the camera flash.



White iPhone 4 spotted in Seattle



Last week, a news producer in Seattle reportedly saw a white iPhone 4 at a Whole Foods store. The owner, an Italian man, reportedly claimed he was testing the device for Apple, and that it would go on sale in Europe in February.



The person claimed that the handset was modified so the iPhone 4 antenna issue which caused headlines earlier this year, no longer exists. According to The Seattle Times, the man also said that Apple was having problems keeping the edges of the device from yellowing.



Apple has repeatedly delayed the white iPhone 4, citing production issues. Rumors have suggested the color of the device has been a problem, though Apple has not clarified.



The news producer also snapped a photo of the device spotted in the wild:







White iPhone 4 assembled, camera flash issues found



MacNotes.de obtained what it says are official parts for Apple's white iPhone 4. The site took a regular, black iPhone 4 and had the white external glass placed on it.



Though obviously not an official white iPhone 4, the site found that the camera flash had issues with the white glass, causing overexposed photos.







Finally, some Apple retail stores around the country began advertising over the weekend that the white iPhone 4 is set to debut in Spring 2011, according to TUAW. Taking the season literally, that would mean the handset could debut at any point between March 20 and June 21.



Apple formally announced in October that the white iPhone 4 was delayed until Spring 2011. Apple also stopped advertising the hardware on its site after numerous delays.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 44
    tmptmp Posts: 601member
    I saw a Japanese guy at the Beverly Center last month with one. I assumed it was either a custom one or a fake.
  • Reply 2 of 44
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Not that Spring iPhone sales are a problem for Apple, but adding a little tweak like a new color in the Spring could help boost sales a bit. By then, the current iPhone will be about 9 months old, and some potential customers may be inclined to wait until the new model is released in the Summer. Of course, this assumes that Apple is actually capable of meeting demand year-round..
  • Reply 3 of 44
    I get terribly overexposed photos with my flash on my black iphone 4...can't imagine a white one.



    A little off topic....any suggestions for an excellent photo app takes that takes great photos with the flash on??



    Thanks!
  • Reply 4 of 44
    neilmneilm Posts: 985member
    White iPhone 4: does anyone really care that much?
  • Reply 5 of 44
    White iPhone 4 - $1,300



    I keep looking at it to see if it's a photoshop and it really does seem real enough.



    Ludicrous asking price though.....
  • Reply 6 of 44
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    It might fit, but I'd think it would be easy to compensate. I used a flashlight app to turn on my flash, and it appears the black panel around the light might be blocking a lot of the light. The white surface might be passing and diffusing a lot more light, but then what can be done is shorten the shutter time, the automatic exposure system should be doing that automatically.
  • Reply 7 of 44
    Italian guy in Seattle with a white iPhone claiming he is testing it for Apple.



    Oh man, there must a million of those guys for Apple to sift through.



    Call Bullshit on this one.
  • Reply 9 of 44
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The person claimed that the handset was modified so the iPhone 4 antenna issue which caused headlines earlier this year, no longer exists.



    This alone has me questioning the validity of this guy. If he is really "testing" the device for Apple, there is just no way he would come out and say that there was an antenna problem and it was fixed. Apple would just not allow that to happen, plus he would not be so keen as to engage in an interview about the phone.



    Something ain't right with this.
  • Reply 10 of 44
    I can get white (or any case color for that matter) at a local shop that repairs iphones.



    personally, would wait until the official one comes out.
  • Reply 11 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Shapethings View Post


    I can get white (or any case color for that matter) at a local shop that repairs iphones.



    personally, would wait until the official one comes out.



    You're right. Just did a search and the glass is available.



    I call fraud now.
  • Reply 12 of 44
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    This alone has me questioning the validity of this guy. If he is really "testing" the device for Apple, there is just no way he would come out and say that there was an antenna problem and it was fixed. Apple would just not allow that to happen, plus he would not be so keen as to engage in an interview about the phone.



    Something ain't right with this.



    Exactly what I was thinking when I read the story. Would Apple give a phone to test to some member of the public when they had all those issues when the iPhone 4 prototype was lost in a bar??



    As for the over-exposure of the white iPhone, given that this was put together with parts purchased not through Apple, it could lead to a few problems when constructing;

    - I would expect a metal colar to be fitted around the flash to stop light leakage.

    - The software is probably optimised on the white iPhone to take account of any differences. If you convert a black iPhone to a white one, then it may not be correctly 'tuned'.



    Personally I don't see the attraction of the white one. Black is best!



    Phil
  • Reply 13 of 44
    One only needs to look at the thousands of discolored white MacBooks in schools and universities throughout the country to realize that white is a bad idea.



    Not sure why the hype exists. No matter what Apple does it's gonna look like crap in a couple of years.
  • Reply 14 of 44
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post


    It might fit, but I'd think it would be easy to compensate. I used a flashlight app to turn on my flash, and it appears the black panel around the light might be blocking a lot of the light. The white surface might be passing and diffusing a lot more light, but then what can be done is shorten the shutter time, the automatic exposure system should be doing that automatically.



    I'm sure that's exactly what the problem is. But I don't see why it can't be fixed. All Apple should have to do is to have a black coating around the flash hole, and behind the panel. A bit more expensive to make, but it should end the problem.
  • Reply 15 of 44
    Females will love this
  • Reply 16 of 44
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by womble2k2 View Post


    Exactly what I was thinking when I read the story. Would Apple give a phone to test to some member of the public when they had all those issues when the iPhone 4 prototype was lost in a bar??



    As for the over-exposure of the white iPhone, given that this was put together with parts purchased not through Apple, it could lead to a few problems when constructing;

    - I would expect a metal colar to be fitted around the flash to stop light leakage.

    - The software is probably optimised on the white iPhone to take account of any differences. If you convert a black iPhone to a white one, then it may not be correctly 'tuned'.



    Personally I don't see the attraction of the white one. Black is best!



    Phil



    We do know that there is some problem, or they would be available by now. The way it's going, we won't see one until the iPhone 5 comes out.
  • Reply 17 of 44
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Goldenclaw View Post


    One only needs to look at the thousands of discolored white MacBooks in schools and universities throughout the country to realize that white is a bad idea.



    Not sure why the hype exists. No matter what Apple does it's gonna look like crap in a couple of years.



    That's poly plastic, which does discolor over time (as does much while plastic, just look at lighting fixtures). This would be a paint behind glass. There are plenty of paints that don't discolor.
  • Reply 18 of 44
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    I don't think this is as important as tech articles are making it seem. More of a bizarre happenstance that the white iphone should see issues, causing it to seem more elusive, and raising consumer interest a bit more.
  • Reply 19 of 44
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mr Underhill View Post


    Females will love this



    Yeah, and all of those MALE tech writers who said they want one.
  • Reply 20 of 44
    juandljuandl Posts: 230member
    I think the bigger story here does not really get any coverage.



    Only Apple, and specifically probably only S. Jobs, would have held back the White phone coming out. Probably he was not happy with the phone discoloration.

    An again. He was (i am sure) truly mad/upset because of the antenna problem.



    Imagine how many white phones would have been sold. You are looking at millions of bucks. How many other companies or CEO's would have had the guts to hold up the sale of something this major.



    I say kudos' to Apple on this call. They must really be serious about giving Joe Public the very best.



    I wonder why they don't receive enough credit for that?
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