Why the iPhone 5 is in short supply

An official with Apple supplier Hon Hai tells the Wall Street Journal that the phone is the "most difficult device" the company has ever made.

Still waiting for an iPhone 5? Apple's own supplier offers a reason why.

An unnamed official with Hon Hai, aka Foxconn, told the Wall Street Journal that the design process of making the new phone light and thin is "very complicated." Calling the iPhone 5 "the most difficult device that Foxconn has ever assembled," the official said that factory employees are still learning how to build the phone.

But he offered a note of optimism by saying that workers are getting better at assembling the phone. "Practice makes perfect,"

The official also addressed the iPhone 5's vulnerability to scratches. Many owners of the new phone have complained about nicks and scratches appearing on the new aluminum coating of the phone.