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Topic: Hardware

White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

Summary: Here's an interesting revelation - that the white iPhone 4 is fatter (or technically, thicker) than the black iPhone 4.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

Here's an interesting revelation - that the white iPhone 4 is fatter (or technically, thicker) than the black iPhone 4.

How much thicker ... about 0.2mm thicker it seems. While that might not seem like much, taking the thickness up from 9.3mm to 9.5mm means that some cases might not fit.

This is interesting because in a matter of a few weeks Apple has fragmented the iPhone case market, first by introducing the Verizon iPhone 4 where the mute switch has been moved, and not a handset that's a little thicker. The difference isn't that much, but it a face is snug for the black iPhone 4, it might be a little too snug for the white iPhone 4.

So if you're buying a case, you might want to check it fits first ... for most cases it shouldn't make a difference, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

[UPDATE: A couple of new white iPhone 4 owners have emailed to tell me that they're having problem with the proximity sensor on the iPhone not working as well (in other words, not blanking the screen when the handset is held up to the face) when screen protectors are fitted.]

Topics: Hardware, iPhone, Mobility, Smartphones

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46 comments
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  • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

    I think it's simple. Apple is just following their demographics.
    The Douginator
    Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @The Douginator
      WHY IS THIS EVEN REAL NEWS??? .2 MM?? SERIOUSLY
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @The Douginator
      You mean an 0.2mm difference has something to do with demographics?

      LOL..
      ScorpioBlue
      Reply Vote

    • Dunkin' Donuts

      Back in the 60's I had a Suzuki 250 two cycle motorcycle. Not knowing anything about two cycle engines I let carbon build up in the exhaust ports until the bike wouldn't go over forty mph. Taking the engine apart and discovering the problem and cleaning the ports was revelatory. However, the dealer said ordering the head gasket was a two month affair. I was home on leave and couldn't wait that long. I noticed that the torn, removed gasket was about the same thickness and type of material as the box that Dunkin' Donuts came in. Ergo! I used the old one for a pattern and put the engine back together with a Dunkin' Donuts box for a head gasket.

      The point, if you've read this far, is that I bet the extra thickness is due to Apple's use of discarded Dunkin' Donut boxes (the white parts of course) to prevent the light leaks.

      Hey, it's just a thought.
      dheady@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

        @dheady@... Funny
        sackbut
        Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @The Douginator LOL. Zing!
      I will add: I knew it! They just slapped a cheap white mall kiosk case on the existing iPhone!
      jmwells21
      Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @The Douginator

      AKH used the word thicker!
      PassingWind
      Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @The Douginator

      LOL! I bet it's just an optical illusion.... like "see the circles between the squares? They don't exist" or, "thin people should wear horizontal stripes to make them look wider"!
      jparr
      Reply Vote

  • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

    Interesting, this could be a real pain for folks.
    gene.arnold@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

    Well, let those fools who were drooling for, dying for, lusting for, the white Iphone pay the consequences. Yet Apple never gets hit as other phone/computer/software/OS makers get hit for.
    Charles_B
    Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @cboquin
      PAY FOR WHAT???? .2 MM????? THAT'S A HAIR!
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @cboquin...Fools? Pay the consequences? Give it a rest, please! Look, the only people that will have an issue with this are those that had a black iphone 4 case that 'may not' fit on a white iphone 4. Those purchasing an iphone 4 for the first time, in white, will be fine as there are plenty of 3rd party case makers who have cases that will accomodate both models.
      1019902735
      Reply Vote

  • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

    What are you worried about? The white iPhone is the ultimate stealth device.

    Without a case, you need to hold it wrong. If you hold it wrong, Apple cannot track you.
    dazzlingd
    Reply Vote

  • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

    You know what I am sick of... lazy writers that can't take the time to proof their own work before submitting it

    "and not a handset that?s a little thicker. The difference isn?t that much, but it a face is snug for the black iPhone 4"
    really... "and not a hand set"? "but it a face"

    stupidity shows through

    proof read your own work then submit it... this make you seem unreliable and makes your comments worthless to me
    ssmart1
    Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @ssmart1 well then, don't read those replies. Oh by the way, you forgot the period at the end of your first sentence. And the others that followed. PROOFREAD!
      Charles_B
      Reply Vote

      • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

        @cboquin
        From thickness to typos?bean-counters all?except in being a writer, one should re-read before casting the first stone.
        bmovie2
        Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @ssmart1 <br>And AKH doesn&#8217;t know what an ellipsis is meant to do (and I *don&#8217;t* mean the convention in computer sub-menus, or when he should use emdashes, not hyphens. All easy enough to fix. <br><br>BTW, an ellipsis is a single character, not three periods.
      mediumcool
      Reply Vote

      • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

        @mediumcool
        Actually an ellipsis ISN'T a single character; it's a set of dots indicating an omission of words which can be understood from contextual clues. It can also be used for the suggestion of a pause in speech or trailing off at the end of a sentence.
        dwighthendricks
        Reply Vote

    • agreed!

      @ssmart1
      garethmoore@...
      Reply Vote

    • RE: White iPhone 4 fatter than black counterpart

      @ssmart1 I TOTALLY AGREE!
      PamieK
      Reply Vote
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