So there we were, in a lift at a press event in New York City, when we spotted a white iPhone 4 strutting its stuff in the hands of a mystery man.

A bit of covert photography later, that would make even the ardent paparazzi proud, and we'd managed to snap some shots of it in action.

We felt proud, but then we realised that for you, that's just not enough. So we went and talked to the owner to see why and how he had a white iPhone 4, when the rest of the US and the world is still left waiting.

While our inside man didn't want to give his name, he did part with some very valuable information; information that we feel the urge to share.

It turns out that One Infinite Loop (that's Apple's HQ in Cupertino) is swimming with white iPhones, and that he had a mate that "fixed him up" with his.

Why then, have you not been able to queue outside the Apple store of your choice to get one?

Well, according to our jacket wearing gent, Apple is having trouble getting its two suppliers in the Far East to match the white used in the manufacturing of the parts. The white home button colour doesn't match the white front face plate colour, it turns out.

Apple being the perfectionist that it is, isn't happy with this and therefore isn't happy to sell it to the general public, supposedly.

So there you have it. If our man is to be believed, and he seemed genuine enough, the reason you haven't seen a white iPhone 4 at your local Apple store is down to the fact that white is not always white.

Co-reported by Geek.com