Apple ups Balda orders for iPhone screens: paper

Apple Computer Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs holds the new iPhone in San Francisco, January 9, 2007. Apple Inc has significantly increased its orders for touch screens for its keenly awaited iPhone at German supplier Balda, German daily Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Apple Inc (AAPL.O) has significantly increased its orders for touch screens for its keenly awaited iPhone at German supplier Balda BADG.DE, German daily Handelsblatt reported on Tuesday.

The order increase was due to delivery problems at Japan's Sharp (6753.T), tipped to be one of Apple's suppliers, Handelsblatt said without citing sources.

Balda shares were up 5.14 percent at 11.24 euros by 0756 GMT.

A Balda spokesman declined to comment on the report but did say that Balda was expanding its production site for touch screens in China.

He said the touch-screen business in general was very interesting for the company.

Apple is due to launch the iPhone on Friday in the United States, with a target of 10 million units in 2008.

Analysts have said a runaway success for the feature-jammed phone could create huge challenges for some of its parts suppliers.