14 DAY TRIAL // At the time of this writing, visitors of store.apple.com will be greeted by Apple’s all-too-familiar message, “we’ll be back soon,” signaling that Cupertino is making the final preparations to feature the White iPhone 4 on the venue.
Yesterday, Apple issued the first and final official confirmation that White iPhones are about to ship worldwide.
Unlike before, Apple is now certain that it has got everything right with the controversial handset, including the proximity sensor and back facing camera.
As it generally occurs, the tech giant has taken down its online store to update its listings with the new product, but we’re also hoping to see additional stuff, like an iMac refresh.
Rumor has it that Apple is planning to introduce an updated line of all-in-one desktop Macs that not only feature Thunderbolt I/O technology, but also Sandy Bridge processors.
Still, the White iPhone 4 remains the only gadget we expect to see added to Apple’s virtual store shelves.
In accordance with the company’s announcement issued yesterday, April 27, White iPhone 4 models will be available not only from Apple’s online store (beginning with 1:00 AM local time), but also from Apple’s retail stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless stores, as well as select Apple Authorized Resellers.
“The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it’s beautiful,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we’ve worked to get every detail right.”
The smartphone is selling today in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and the US.
Many more countries around the world will be receiving shipments soon, Apple said.
Pricing remains intact, with the 16GB model retailing for $199 (US), and $299 for the 32GB model, with a new two-year agreement with the operator that carries the phone in a certain territory.
Update: the Apple online store is back online showing availability of the White iPhone 4.