While many new iPhone 3G owners have griped that the device's occasionally yellowish hue is evidence of a defect, Apple has now gone on record to say that the tint is a deliberate choice to improve overall usability.

The company's Senior Director of Product Marketing, Bob Borchers, tells Engadget that the shift from the blue-biased LCD of the original iPhone isn't an accident and produces more accurate colors most of the time, registers deeper blacks, and makes the resulting image appear crisper.

The original screen was too cold and slightly murkier, Borchers adds. In AppleInsider's experience, the new panel should also help improve visibility outdoors, where contrast and overall brightness are both important factors.