iPhone 17 Series Phone Clears Key Testing Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

iPhone 17 series is expected to launch in select markets later this year. The lineup may include a base, an Air, a Pro and a Pro Max variant. The company is expected to begin mass production of the iPhone 17 series phones soon, to keep in line with the expected September launch. At least one of the purported handsets has reportedly cleared an important testing phase. The phones are expected to pass a few more tests before heading into production.

iPhone 17 Series EVT Phase Cleared 

The iPhone 17 handset, or at least one of the models in the lineup, has cleared the Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) phase, according to MacRumours, citing a paywalled DigiTimes report preview. This stage is meant to ensure that the hardware of the prototype works as expected. The report notes that this is a "routine but key milestone."

After EVT, the company can make a few changes to the iPhone 17 series specifications. Recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple may bring 12GB RAM support for most iPhone 17 series handsets. He added that the base iPhone 17 could continue to support 8GB of RAM, similar to the existing iPhone 16 lineup.

Completing the EVT stage now keeps the company on track with a September unveiling of the iPhone 17 series. The handsets are expected to clear the DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages before their mass production begins.

According to recent leaks, the standard iPhone 17 and Pro variants are expected to have a similar height. The Air version is tipped to be taller and the slimmest of all the variants, reportedly measuring 5.65mm at its thinnest point. However, the high-end Pro Max option appeared to be the tallest and thickest handset in the lineup.

The iPhone 17 Pro is tipped to come with a rectangular rear camera module with three cameras, including a 48-megapixel telephoto shooter. It could be powered by an A19 Pro chip, while the Air version could come with an A18 or A19 chipset alongside a 48-megapixel single rear camera. The phones are expected to have titanium middle frames.