Submitted by Frank Macey on
There's been much ado over nothing when it comes to differences between the white and black iPhone 4 lately. The most hyped involves an alleged increase in depth on the white model, listed in Apple's official specifications as 0.37 inches (9.3 mm). The depth, otherwise known as thickness from front to back, was widely reported to be 0.2 mm thicker than the black iPhone 4.
Apple has been criticized for not indicating the difference in its technical specifications, and users everywhere are fretting that iPhone 4 cases won't fit the white model properly. The only problem is that the difference in thickness is an illusion. Consumer Reports never shies away from an Apple controversy, and they promptly put the white iPhone 4 through rigorous testing with high-quality calipers.
The result? Both the white and black iPhone 4 units are precisely 0.370 inches deep. If the white model were actually 0.2 mm thicker, the calipers would have indicated a depth of 0.378 inches. Consumer Reports continued by testing several cases they had tried on the black iPhone 4, and not one had any problem fitting properly on the white model. Apparently, white paint makes the glass on the front and back of the iPhone 4 look thicker even though it's exactly the same size.
Consumer Reports plans to continue testing the white iPhone 4 to make sure the camera quality holds up to the black model. Part of the problem in manufacturing the white model was light leakage into imaging and other sensors. The camera lens is further recessed on the white model which could help solve the problem of too much light. Last year, Consumer Reports refused to recommend the iPhone 4 despite its top ratings due to signal issues relating to the external antenna design.