Apple delays launch of white iPhone 4 until Spring 2011

Apple on Tuesday announced it was again forced to delay the launch of its white iPhone 4, this time past the holiday buying season until Spring 2011.

John Packowski of Digital Daily received word from Apple that the white iPhone 4 won't arrive until next year. The news comes after some speculated the device's inclusion in an update to the Apple Store application on the App Store could imply an imminent launch.

"We're sorry to disappoint customers waiting for the white iPhone yet again, but we've decided to delay its release until this Spring," an Apple spokesperson reportedly said.

Apple has publicly delayed the white iPhone 4 numerous times. In late July, the company issued its last update on the hardware, stating that it would go on sale in late 2010.

In July, Apple said that manufacturing of the white hardware proved "more challenging to manufacture" than the company had originally anticipated. That reveal came just a week after Chief Executive Steve Jobs publicly said the white iPhone 4 was on track to launch by the end of July.

Some reports have claimed that Apple and its manufacturing partners have had difficulty creating glass with the right shade of white for the handset. Apple, however, has not offered specifics on the issues, though the white model has not been available for sale anywhere since the iPhone 4 launched on June 24.