Apple on Wednesday promised that the iPad 2 will be available in both black and white on March 11. But what happened to the white iPhone 4? In a rare instance of vaporware for Apple, the company announced white iPhones at its June 2010 press event, but they are still not available to the public. Why is there no white iPhone 4 when Apple is able to produce a white iPad next week? The iPad 2's new design may offer some clues.
One of the most widely believed, if completely unconfirmed, rumors about the white iPhone 4 is that the white back panel reflected too much light from the LED flash, resulting in overexposed images. This makes sense: paint your walls white, and they will reflect daylight and room lighting, and the room will generally appear bright. Paint the same room black, and it will be very hard to light brightly. The same thing would be at play here, with the white panel on the iPhone 4's back reflecting the flash's light too intensely to produce quality photos.
If overexposure is indeed the issue, what's the solution? The new iPad 2 showcases it quite clearly. While there is a white iPad, its back is brushed aluminum, just like the back of the black iPad. This surface does not reflect nearly as much light and therefore would not lead to overexposure issues. So, if we ever do see a white iPhone, it will likely need a bit of an overhaul, with an aluminum back panel and only a white frame around the screen, a la the iPad 2.
Since this would be an embarrassment for Apple, my guess is the white iPhone 4 will never come - unless Apple finds a way to greatly adjust the flash and lens settings to compensate for the overexposure. In June, I expect to see a white iPhone 5 that very closely resembles the color design of the iPad; a white contour frame, but an aluminum back panel. Of course, since Apple will not confirm what actually caused the delay with the white iPhone, this is purely an educated guess.