First iPhone 5 shipments with 'defective' touch panels?

A defect found in a component supplier's touch panels may affect the initial shipment of Apple Inc.'s long-awaited iPhone 5, a Taiwan tech site reported. DigiTimes cited iPhone supply chain makers who said the defect involves a "delayed bubble" in touch panels supplied by Wintek. The DigiTimes report said Wintek accounts for 20 to 25 percent of the total production of touch panels used in iPhone 5. On the other hand, Taiwan-based TPK Holding accounts for 60 to 65 percent, while Chimei Innolux accounts for the remainder. But DigiTimes said its sources expect Wintek to remedy the defect quickly because the manufacturing process of touch panels used in iPhone 5 is similar to that for iPhone 4. For its part, Wintek "simply indicated that all of its products are being delivered on schedule." DigiTimes said a "delayed bubble" defect is difficult to avoid during panel production, particularly when the defect is not detected during the process of laminating touch panels. It is found out only later on, usually during assembly. The DigiTimes report said its sources claim Apple aims to ship 25 to 26 million units of iPhone 5 in the fourth quarter of 2011. — TJD, GMA News