Apple Inc. (AAPL) conceded Friday that manufacturing the white version of its iPhone 4 device has proven surprisingly difficult, and the product will not be available until “later this year.”
“White models of Apple’s new iPhone 4 have continued to be more challenging to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year,” the company said in a brief statement on Friday. “The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected.”
Apple did not disclose the nature of the problem in its statement or give an exact date when the white model would be available. The company said last week it has sold three million iPhone 4s since they were available on June 24. The newest iPhone however, while posting record sales, has created a series of headaches for Apple, the biggest being the suggestion that its design was flawed because of reception issues and antenna design.
AAPL this morning is down 80 cents, or 0.28%, to $258.20.
I am so disappointed in Apple. I was excited about the iPhone4, and really wanted a white one. I believe this hold off is simply a sales tactic, and I no longer respect the company. Will most likely leave AT&T and get a white smart phone elsewhere. Have lost my great enthusiasm for this phone.