Perhaps it's too early to draw a conclusion, but the popular Apple iPhone 3G may not be doing much to help change the "low-quality" image of plastic.

Owners are reporting tiny cracks on the plastic shell of the iPhone. In a discussion thread on the official Apple discussion forum, various users have reported such issues, especially with white units.

Another Mac-user online community is having a similar discussion, with a few user-generated photos just on the first page.

Although the iPhone 3G is not yet officially available in mainland China, fans are closely watching feedback from users in other regions. A popular Chinese information technology site published a collection of photos and commented that the quality of the plastic casing is cheaper than the metal casing used on first-generation iPhones.

One reader left a message, asking: "Is this a production problem in Apple's Chinese factories or Apple's unwise selection of materials?"

Some markets in Shanghai are selling smuggled iPhones with price tags of 8,800 yuan (US$1,289) for the 8G model and 9,700 yuan (US$1,421) for the 16G model, according to local newspaper Oriental Morning. Vendors claim that the pricing is reasonable, because the handsets are unlocked and without a contract. However, the 16-G model without a contract will cost just US$699 in the U.S.