Will the iPhone ever be without controversy? Let's get caught up in with the latest...

It turns out that Greenpeace dissected an iPhone (a gruesome yet strangely irresistible ritual among a certain class of gadget lover). Long story short, they found chemicals that are banned in Europe and San Francisco (moreso in the earbuds) for health reasons and a battery that's soldered on. Drama ensues, Apple responds and the vicious cycle begins anew.

I can't confirm the veracity of their claims since my testing lab is currently... nonexistent, but yeah, pretty strong claims. The thing is that Apple doesn't deny the presence of those materials, noting that they are well within safety limits. Plus they claim to be on track to completely eliminate the chemicals (PVC and BFRs) by 2008.

Still, Apple may be facing a lawsuit over it thanks to the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, CA. Doubly irksome is soldered-on battery, making it even tougher for DIYers to wring more life out of their $600 $400 phones.

Now that you're all caught up with this tangled little yarn, let's get to the news that will really set the hearts of Mac devs aflutter. iPhone SDK in February '08!

Update: Datamation IT Management Blog (henceforth DIMB) weighs in with a hilarious 5-point tip sheet for Jobs & Gang. MS Asbestos Phone FTW!