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"White models of Apple's new iPhone® 4 have continued to be more challengin... g to manufacture than we originally expected, and as a result they will not be available until later this year. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."

The phrasing of that statement--less than a week after Apple chief executive Steve Jobs assured attendees of a press conference that the white model would ship at the end of this month--almost matched a notice posted one month earlier by the Cupertino, Calif., company:

"White models of Apple's new iPhone® 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July. The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected."

Who knew it was so difficult to make this thing in a color besides black? Earlier models of the iPhone did come in a choice of black and white (some users of the white iPhone 3GS reported that its color darkened over time), but the iPhone 4's exterior is made out of glass, not metal or plastic. And that apparently complicates matters, as this Ars Technica post explains.

But why would you want to get any sort of handheld device in white? Ask anybody who's carried around a white iPod for long enough--there isn't a better color to show off every speck and smudge of dirt your hands can leave on the thing. Black, dark gray or anything besides white is the way to go if you don't want to spend every weekend cleaning the thing.