Multiple recent reports have suggested that a slightly thicker case was among the differences between the new white model and the older black iPhone 4 model.
Zach Epstein reports for BGR, ” On Sunday, Apple’s Phil Schiller was quoted by Apple enthusiast blog 9to5 Mac as saying ‘[The white iPhone 4] is not thicker, don’t believe all the junk that you read,’ in a private response to an inquiry on Twitter. Then on Monday, Consumer Reports took a set of calipers to both the white and black iPhone 4 models and found them to be the exact same thickness: 0.37 inches.”
“We’ve even verified that one of our own white iPhone 4 models is thicker than its black counterpart,” Epstein reports. “It looks like we can chalk up the differences [in measurements] to Apple’s increasingly poor quality control rather than an amended design.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: You know you’re probably wrong when you find yourself agreeing with Consumer Reports.
[Attribution: GottaBeMobile. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Henry C.” for the heads up.]
Apple and Consumer reports agree on something?
Is it the end of days or what?
Well, I don’t know whether the white phone is thicker or not, but at least we now know the answer to the great question— Which will come first: the white iPhone or the updated MDN app?
Funny that MDN makes a bug deal about the white iPhone delay, but sure doesn’t say much about the time its own app’s retooling is taking.
“MDN makes a bug deal about the white iPhone delay”
———————————————
No pun intended right?
Declining quality? It’s just plain ole made in China quality – that’s all.
Sounds like the crap we used to say about products made in Japan.
Actually, the quality of iPhones is as high as possible.
The steel frame is done on high-precision Japanese equipment, and the protective glass also comes from Japan (Apple’s task was to set technical specification for the needed optical qualities for the white glass).
I’m not yet convinced that Mr. Schiller had actually DM that twit to someone. It certainly didn’t warrant an official response as quickly as this. Unless of course, Apple knows that they’re talking about. But I have a feeling, remaining mum on that, most consumers would have moved on from this soon after reading about it.
I just would like to add this (while ignoring my typos on the initial post):
“Bottom line: Consumer Reports still recommends that you get a case with your iPhone 4 to mitigate an reception issue our labs confirmed for both the AT&T and Verizon versions of the iPhone 4. But at least you don’t have to worry about it not fitting.”
And no, I won’t post a link to this Jackassery.
Who is using Microsoft branded calipers? (which are sold at any fine establishment carrying Microsoft’s Zune line of media players)
Those must be the calipers with the special iPod/iPhone/iPad adapters (shim)…
Is that what that does?
“…Epstein reports. “It looks like we can chalk up the differences [in measurements] to Apple’s increasingly poor quality control…”
How did this alleged “slight increase in thickness” become a quality control issue? Any what is the basis for stating that Apple’s QC is on some sort of long term decline? I have not observed any increase in the background level of griping.
Not just poor quality control, but “increasingly” poor quality control. When did Apple’s quality control become “increasingly” poor? It has not even shown signs of becoming “poor” yet.
It is just BGR being usual tabloid/yellow journalism site — the same as Gizmodo.
It didn’t used to be poor, but now it is. That’s an increase.
I witnessed this myself at our local Apple Store. They are exactly the same, Black / White.
.2mm difference is bunk.
The photo circulated was bunk. It had the black iPhone further away, making it look like it was thinner.
Thickness-Gate?
All phones vary in thickness. This is an issue for the entire industry and we hope to be able to do our part in addressing it.
Steve
Sent from my iPhone
Some white iPhone customers were thought to be thicker than those purchasing black iPhones. 😉
Come on MDN, why don’t you try measuring a bunch of black iPhones and see if they DON’T vary in thickness?
Measuring thickness is pretty much CR’s only area of competence.
Yeah thick as a brick.
This was bullshit from the get go.
Want Appple facts? Get and trust them directly and only from the company.
If this is the worst FUD they can come up with…
“inches” – How quaint.
You’re holding it wrong.
its so funny when you are the thousandth person to repeat the same joke. I mean it just gets funnier and funnier right? Der der
You want to get the black iPhone further away from your eye to see it’s thinner than the white one. Use your heads people.
Who cares if it is or isn’t .2mm thicker or thinner. The .0002% of people to whom it would matter because they use one of the .02% of cases that wouldn’t fit without pushing a little harder before the casemakers release a new “universal” version with .2mm greater tolerance in 2 weeks?
That is, how many angels can dance on this pin?
Any company that manufacturers objects will have a range of acceptable size tolerances. You simply can’t assemble objects to be exactly the same size as each other, there will always be a minute variation.
Has Apple ever stated what the tolerance is with regard to physical dimensions ? Apple’s web size does state that the size will vary slightly, but I’ve never seen a specific figure quoted.
Everybody knows that you look fatter in a white t-shirt than a black one.
Perhaps ALL the earlier iPhone 4’s produced were a tiny bit thinner (they were all black). And ALL the ones currently produced (including the white ones) are a tiny bit thicker. Maybe the change makes the glass backside a bit stronger.
That would make sense; many of these “blog” reports are probably comparing a first-run iPhone 4 (that they lined up to buy last June) against a recent white iPhone 4. CR probably bought two recent iPhone 4’s (black and white) at the same time and “calipered” them.
OR maybe, the white one just “looks” thicker (an optical illusion) because it’s a bright color and stands out more. The only way to know for sure is to use an accurate device, such as a caliper.
The gigabites are bigger on the white iPhones … That’s why they’re thicker!
Apple QC is increasingly poor. The last 4 devices I’ve owned (laptop, phone) have had to be replaced. Fortunately, customer service remains great
As we were traveling overseas last month, my girlfriend’s silicone case-encased, less than 1yr old and babied iPhone4 dropped, about 3ft from a table top, flat on it’s back. It didn’t seem like it hit hard, made like a small ‘flap’ sound (I’ve certainly dropped mine from greater heights with no adverse affects), but the FRONT screen – not the back it landed on – cracked. The spider-webbing effect covered the entire front of the phone, as if some 6 inch guy hit it multiple times with a baseball bat. We were shocked that such dramatic damage could come from such a minor shock.
It didn’t shatter into pieces, probably because she also had a film screen protector on it, and the phone still worked, but obviously this was something we expected Apple to take care of when we got back to the US.
Surprise number one: When we got to the Apple Store we were told by the guy you meet as your coming in that, while he would schedule us an appointment with a ‘Genius’, we were going to have to pay $200. Why? A] Because the front glass is ‘fused’ to the workings of the phone and can’t be popped off & replaced (apparently the back glass can be), so we would get a whole new phone and B] Cracked glass is looked at as ‘user error’, not a defect, despite how we described it happening.
I was just about to tell him how that was not an acceptable outcome, when a young girl behind us chimed in and said, “That’s funny, my iPhone’s front glass cracked too!” We compared phones (damage almost identical) & stories (same slight fall, encased phone). Well, I lit into the guy. Didn’t call him names or anything like that, but did express EXTREME dissatisfaction with this policy, and insisted on seeing the manager. She was much more reasonable. Apple would replace the phone, no charge, as a courtesy to a longtime customer, blah, blah.
I did some Googling when I got home and found this glass cracking thing is actually a fairly widespread problem. And what we encountered at the Apple Store is fairly typical too – tell the customer they are on the hook for the cost, hope they pay without too much griping, but if they raise the ‘threat level’ then replace the phone for free.
Clearly, as intermittent as it may be in the face of a gazillion iPhone4’s being sold a second, Apple still knows they have a recurring problem with the glass. They’ve even established a protocol for dealing with it.
So, if indeed the white iPhone has thicker glass than all the black ones currently out there, my guess would be that this seemingly minor alteration was made to try to address the glass cracking problem. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if black iPhones being made now (at the same time as the white) show an increase in glass thickness too.
They pushed the boundary of esthetics, and found, if you’re not careful enough, what can happen to functionality when you do – it suffers.
I agree with your story, but the glass is not thicker, it’s the same.
The reality is the glass breaks when you drop the phone. It’s hit or miss, my nephew dropped his phone on a steel staircase and was fine with the smallest nick on the back edge near the camera lens. Can’t explain it. However Apple doesn’t warranty against dropping, but they feel for you and if you are are not a repeat offender they will work with you. Just don’t come in thinking your are entitled, just come in and let them take care of you. It’s great you asked to speak to the manager. I didn’t have to worry about that, but I waited 40 minute over my scheduled time for the Genius Bar. That was enough to tip the edge in my favor.
I posted the previous screed – just wanted to see why it wouldn’t accept it before, and whether it had anything to do with my usual screen name.