White iPhone 4 Delays Due to Light Leakage Affecting Camera Performance?

With Apple's announcement yesterday that it has once again pushed back the launch of the white iPhone 4, this time to next spring, speculation about the reasons for the ongoing delays has continued to run rampant. Previous reports had claimed that either color consistency issues or problems with the device's backlight leaking out around and/or through the white body of the device were responsible for the delay.

Cult of Mac now reports, however, that the problem is actually light leaking into the iPhone and affecting the performance of the device's camera.

The white iPhone 4 can't take accurate photographs. The handset's semi-translucent glass case leaks light in, ruining pictures taken with the internal camera, especially when the built-in flash is used.

"You don't get accurate pictures on the white iPhone because of the color of the glass back. It washes out the pictures," said a source with connections to Apple who asked to remain anonymous.

The source said Apple has been struggling to isolate the camera sensor. The problem may demand a complete redesign, they said, hence the string of delays.

According to the report, the issue was only discovered at the last minute at a testing facility Apple had set up for case manufacturers to ensure the compatibility of their products with the new device.