As we all know the new iPhone 4 has been plagued with problems with quality control since it’s release. Keeping that in mind, I have compiled a list of checks to perform with your new iPhone 4, that will not only ensure that you have a perfect piece of Apple engineering with you, or a dud that is likely to fail earlier than you plan.

Apple has been scrambling to catch up with iPhone 4 demand since the launch date, with the current order taking 15 to 20 days for shipment. This means that they have had to increase production, sometimes at the cost of quality. This article has some simple techniques which will help you determine if your new iPhone 4 is good enough to last you the length of the contract, or is it likely to fail, in which case you can return it for a new one as early as possible, so as to enjoy a seamless iPhone 4 experience down the line, and use all the advertised features of Apple’s newest smartphone.Follow the break for the first part of the guide.

Things to check before first iTunes sync of iPhone 4:

Outer Casing: Inspect for cracks in the glass, visible gaps, and loose joints. The phone should be solid, with no “give” anywhere — a properly constructed iPhone 4 is pretty much a solid glass/steel slab. In particular, the front and rear glass should be flush against the stainless steel antenna band.

Home/Sleep Buttons: Yet another item you can test before syncing the iPhone, these buttons should perform their intended functions right away and should neither be excessively loose nor too sticky. A miniscule wiggle or a little “clickiness” in either button is nothing to worry about, but if your Sleep button is rattling around in the casing or needs Herculean pressure to get it to work, there’s a problem.

Vibrate switch/motor: Flick  lock switch to put the iPhone in vibrate. The button should slide smoothly, and you should immediately feel the phone’s vibrate motor kick in, indicating successful activation.

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