iSuppli used the disassembly of the iPhone by iFixit last week to estimate the cost for Apple of putting the iPhone 4 together.  They estimate the cost to be $188 to manufacture the latest version of the iPhone.

We know what your thinking.  We’re thinking the same thing, and yes, that is really low.  It just shows you how well Apple has gotten at working out their deals for bulk quantity orders for the parts they need.  It also shows how much money they probably brought into the company in those first 3 days.  By our calculations that should be just over 500 million (528.7 to be exact), assuming the average iPhone was $499 (AT&T subsidizes the cost to apple), and subtracting the $188 manufacture costs.  Not a bad start for 3 days!

Reports are coming in from all over the web that some users are seeing a circular yellow discoloration on the screen the size of an eraser.  Mac rumors posted a photo of one of the phones with this problem yesterday.

One of the posts from a non-verified source claims that the discoloration will go away on its own after a few days as this is a bonding agent used in the screen that has not dried completely since Foxconn was shipping product out as quickly as possible to meet the demand.  The compound is claimed to be called Organofunctional Silane Z-6011 and it helps bond layers of glass.  The user claims that after 2 days of use, the yellow blotches should evaporate and disappear.  Some people who have had the phone for more than a day say that the yellow is fading.

The other major issue seems to lie with the reception of bars when users hold the phone towards the bottom section.  It seems that somehow the body is interfering with he antenna and thus affecting the call quality and connection.  There is also a solution that is being recommended, it is the Apple case that protects the edges of the phone.  The extra casing removes the physical connection with the users body and therefore seems to alleviate the issue.

Hopefully, these are the only 2 issues that pop up.

We asked, and you delivered!

We got a lot of different pics from lots of interesting places around the world… seems like lines started early this morning around the globe for the new iPhone, and it seems in some places still exist!

Here’s one from Rob L. at the O2 Store (Warrington, UK) at 7am – Two hours early.  He got 5th in line at 7am!  More Pics after the break.

Like many of you, I have been glued to Fedex’s tracking page ever since I got that fateful email that stated my new iPhone 4 has shipped. Imagine my glee when I heard about other’s receiving their packages two days early! Imagine the anguish I endured at work knowing that package was sitting on my desk at home. Fortunately, my wait is over, and I now hold in my hand the latest creation from Steve and his gang. So enough with my pontificating, lets take a look at this thing.

The package should be familiar to those that have purchased previous iPhone models. The phone sits on top and below you find an AC adapter, charge cable, and headphones.  My initial impression was shock at how thin this phone really is. The weight is noticeable, but in a good way. This definitely feels more like the original iPhone that the plastic backed later versions. The attention to detail and beautiful engineering is immediately noticeable with the fine lines and satisfying clicks on the buttons. One press of the power button and the iPhone prompts you to connect to iTunes.

The activation was smooth and without issue, though I have been reading that some have had problems. The initial sync took an enormous amount of time, partly due to the optimization of the images from my iPhoto library. Not only did the iPhone sync all my contacts, music, etc, it also imported all of my settings from my old phone including my wallpaper. I really couldn’t ask for an easier or more seamless upgrade process. I remember the days of importing contacts from one phone to another, and it is amazing to see how far we have come.

The first thing you notice when the home screen appears is the new Retina display. It really is unbelievable and until you see it in person you can’t imagine how good it really looks. Sometimes market hype can exaggerate about a feature, but in this case it was right in every way. You really do get the impression you are looking at print. This definitely bodes well for the rest of my initial experience with the new iPhone.

Since I am upgrading from a first generation iPhone, it should go without saying that the speed on the new iPhone blows the original out of the water. Every animation is smooth, and every app loads in a blink. The app switching is amazing and works completely as advertised. This new phone has raised the bar of expectations for responsive mobile devices. I have long stopped bringing my laptop to work in favor of using my iPhone, but with more ram and faster CPU, I wouldn’t doubt that I will find even more ways to replace my desktop with my iPhone. Over the next couple of weeks I will be making good use of this new device and will report back to you on what I like and what frustrates me. Until then, I leave you with a gallery of photos after the break to feast your eyes on until your package arrives.

Aluminosilicate glass sounds pretty serious, Apple said "All the breakthrough technology in iPhone 4 is situated between two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass – the same type of glass used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains.  Chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, the glass is ultra-durable and more scratch resistant than ever."

Sounds pretty good to us, except for the fact that Engadget posted this picture of scratches on the back of their iPhone 4 already!

So, I guess this is a fluke?  I sure hope so, but we’re not taking any chances.  Our suggestion?  Pick up the screen protectors (front and back) with the purchase of your new phones.  Otherwise, nothing is going to make you feel worse than looking at your new shiny iPhone with scratches already!