Well this is unexpected. Apparently the manufacturing changes that Apple had to make to get the white iPhone 4 into production have caused it to be slightly thicker than the standard black iPhone 4. Updated
This news comes from the blog of Ryan Cash by way of Macstories. Ryan apparently picked up his co-worker’s newly purchased white iPhone 4 and felt a difference in thickness immediately. They were then able to verify it by placing them side-by-side on a desk.
Sure enough, the white model is slightly thicker. This thickness definitely seems to come from the white-coated glass front and back and not the metal band. Perhaps the process for UV coating the white iPhone has added an extra layer of thickness.
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While this isn’t a big deal in most cases it could conceivably cause problems for case manufacturers that make iPhone 4 cases with tight thickness tolerances.
If you’ve purchased a white iPhone 4 can you verify that it’s thicker than the standard black one? Does it still fit in cases made for the standard black iPhone 4? If so, let us know in the comments below.
Update: Rene Ritchie of TiPB says that the white iPhone 4 fits in cases as if it was a black iPhone with a BodyGuardz or InvisibleShield protective skin on it. Which is to say, tighter, but most likely not a major issue for most cases.
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