iPhone 5’s fragile and scratch prone surface was one of the major gripe of the users right since the device reached customers – earning it the moniker ‘scuffgate’, it was primarily caused  due to Apple’s use of lightweight anodized aluminum for the iPhone 5’s uni-body chassis, resulting in some units to show signs of wear out-of-the-box.

To control the number of devices that ship with scratches, Apple had Foxconn” tighten production standards” according to a  report by Bloomberg who quoted a ‘person familiar with the matter. ‘

‘Stricter benchmarks have hampered production of the iPhone 5’s anodized aluminum housings, forcing Foxconn’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (2317) to idle factories, the person said. The slowdown is heightening supply concerns that have cost Apple about $60 billion in market value since the iPhone debut — a shortcoming of the drive to imbue products with qualities that make them alluring yet more difficult to manufacture. ‘ the report added.