Randomly accurate rumor site Digitimes reports that, according to supply chain makers, Apple may have trouble meeting initial demand for the iPhone 5 thanks to a defect discovered in the production process for the touch panels made by Wintek.

A defect has presented in some iPhone 5 touch panels produced by Wintek which may affect the ability to meet initial shipment targets for the launch which is expected in October, according to iPhone supply chain makers.

The defect involves a “delayed bubble” effect which is harder to avoid during touch panel production, especially when the problem isn’t found during the laminating process. If the problem isn’t found before assembly, Wintek will have to scrap the panel altogether, essentially losing money and output during the production process.

Wintek currently accounts for some 20-25% of the overall production of touch panels Apple uses in the iPhone 5 with Chimei Innolux and TPK Holding pushing out the rest, so the problem shouldn’t have a huge impact on volume out of the gate.

Apple running into production issues isn’t completely unheard of, either, and Wintek also says to expect a quick remedy due to the fact that the lamination process in the iPhone 5 touch panels is the same as the iPhone 4.

[Digitimes]

Last night, Apple sold out of iPhone 4‘s with a June 24 delivery date and pushed back all orders to July 2. Now those orders have sold out and the new shipping date is July 14.

It’s no question that the iPhone 4 is a huge hit this year, more so than previous years. We learned earlier that 600,000 iPhone 4 orders were placed yesterday. With the shipping date being pushed back yet again, how many orders do you think have been placed now?

Were any of you putting off ordering your iPhone because of yesterday’s chaos and now regret it? Who placed an order today, and which shipping date did you get?

Just like RadioShack announced a few days ago, CNET is reporting WalMart has now added their name to the list of retailers gearing up to sell Apple’s iPhone 4 on the June 24th launch date.

“Walmart said Friday that it will be one of several retail outlets who will have the iPhone 4 on June 24, its first day of availability anywhere. While Walmart has carried previous versions of the iPhone, this is a first that it will be for sale in its stores on the device’s official launch day.”

This is really not that shocking considering this very company was the first to slash the price on the 16 GB iPhone 3GS. So who is going to head to their local WalMart come June 24th? Sound off in the comments below!

[Mac Rumors]

The iPhone has now successfully stormed the mobile markets of both the Emerald Isle and the birthplace of the Oak. For those keeping track at home, this brings the official score card to:

(Not counting the massive gray market, ‘natch).

What makes the two newest iPhone launches unique, however, is that while hardware pricing is consistent with other EU countries, it looks like Austrians won’t be loving them some unlimited data any time soon, with T-Mobile caps firmly in place at 3GB. Of course, they’re still better off than their O2 bedeviled Irish launch-mates, who not only get even less data at a miserly 1GB, but also don’t get Visual Voicemail! (We should point out that, according to Apple Insider, use of Visual Voicemail in Austria will also count towards your 3GB of data!)

So are these capped data plans the future of iPhone? Are the European EDGE networks so obsoleted by 3G that they can’t handle more or is Apple being forced to concede on their data demands to get their units into more and more territories?

And now that 5 and 6 are settled, who’s in the running for 7? Apple COO Tim Cook did promise us Asia this year, which makes Japan (who knows about China?) a possibility. What about Australia? Scandinavia? Are we betting on Antarctica before data-gouged Canada? (I am!)