Touch panel defect to delay iPhone 5 shipments?

A defect found in iPhone 5 touch panels produced by Wintek may affect the ability to meet initial shipment targets of the device, according to a new report. Citing iPhone supply chain makers, Digitimes reports that the defect, referred to as a “delayed bubble,” is difficult to avoid during panel production and is not detected during the lamination process, instead manifesting during assembly. While the report claims that Wintek is expected to remedy the defect quickly, as the touch panel manufacturing process for the iPhone 5 is the same as that for the iPhone 4, the company does account for 20-25 percent of the total production of touch panels used in the iPhone 5. Finally, the report claims that Apple aims to ship 25-26 million iPhone 5 units in the fourth quarter.