iPhone delay was Apple seeking perfection

iPhone's two-week delay

iPhone, which went on sale nationwide on June 29th, may have made its debut several weeks earlier had it not been for a last minute material swap on the handset's top surface.

In a June 18th press release, the company announced that the entire top surface of iPhone, including its 3.5-inch display, was being upgraded from plastic to optical-quality glass to achieve a superior level of scratch resistance and optical clarity.

This move cause a two-week delay in the initial manufacturing ramp of the device, according iPhone touch-screen component supplier, Balda. In a recent financial report, the German-based firm revealed that the last minute design change prompted it to redesign parts of its production line from scratch, causing a material impact on financials.

Balda, which partly owns touchscreen factory TPK in Xiamen China, said it now expects lower revenues for 2007, but anticipates an uptick in sales beginning early next year.