iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.

iPhone 17 Air Pastel FeatureiPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design

The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to follow before the devices enter mass production.

This is a routine but key milestone for Apple to have achieved ahead of the iPhone 17 series launching in the usual month of September.

Following the EVT stage, there is still a window for Apple to make some smaller iPhone spec changes, if necessary. For example, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed that Apple would make a final decision on whether to include 8GB or 12GB of RAM in the iPhone 17 base model by May. At a minimum, Kuo expects the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max to be equipped with 12GB of RAM.

Read our iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, and iPhone 17 Pro roundups to learn more about the upcoming devices and their rumored feature sets.

Related Roundup: iPhone 17
Buyer's Guide: iPhone 17 (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket is Now Completely Sold Out Worldwide

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:16 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released. iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
New Intel Logo

Apple and Intel Rumored to Partner on Mac Chips Again in a New Way

Friday November 28, 2025 7:33 am PST by
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027. Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Black Friday iPhone Deals Still Available

Friday November 28, 2025 6:24 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
apple store down feature

Here's Why the Apple Store is Going Down

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:01 pm PST by
Apple's online store is going down for a few hours on a rolling country-by-country basis right now, but do not get your hopes up for new products. Apple takes its online store down for a few hours ahead of Black Friday every year to tease/prepare for its annual gift card offer with the purchase of select products. The store already went down and came back online in Australia and New Zealand, ...
streaming black friday 2025

Best Black Friday Streaming Deals - Save Big on Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and More

Thursday November 27, 2025 1:14 pm PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air Flop Sparks Industry Retreat From Ultra-Thin Phones

Thursday November 27, 2025 3:14 am PST by
Apple's disappointing iPhone Air sales are causing major Chinese mobile vendors to scrap or freeze their own ultra-thin phone projects, according to reports coming out of Asia. Since the ‌iPhone Air‌ launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales and manufacturing cuts, while Apple's supply chain has scaled back shipments and production. Apple supplier Foxconn has...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: Apple's Big Plans for iPad Mini 8

Friday November 28, 2025 8:39 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos The next-generation version of the iPad mini is expected to feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...

Top Rated Comments

izyreal Avatar
8 months ago
That render looks a lot like a Pixel 9 Pro



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HighwaySnowman Avatar
8 months ago

Can’t wait to see iPhone Air. From “Unbox Therapy” with like 800k views the Reviewer was mind boggled over the thinness and said Apple will sell a boatload of these.
I doubt the stupid thin one will sell that well.

For one thing, it's still going to have the horrible camera wart.
For another, it's going to bend far more easily than a thicker phone.
And of course there's no chance the battery life will be anywhere near as good as a thicker phone.
Then there's the thermal throttling.

Might sell well the first few weeks, then the bad reviews will start coming in and sales will plummet. Wouldn't be surprised if Apple sees a lot of returns on it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
N0ughtsAndCr0sses Avatar
8 months ago
17 air will be a tribute to the basic phone. ☎️

So it’ll have a phone app and YouTube.

That’s it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jimmy Bubbles Avatar
8 months ago
Another year, sticking with my 15 pro.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DelayedGratificationGene Avatar
8 months ago

I doubt the stupid thin one will sell that well.

For one thing, it's still going to have the horrible camera wart.
For another, it's going to bend far more easily than a thicker phone.
And of course there's no chance the battery life will be anywhere near as good as a thicker phone.
Then there's the thermal throttling.

Might sell well the first few weeks, then the bad reviews will start coming in and sales will plummet. Wouldn't be surprised if Apple sees a lot of returns on it.
Battery life would seem to be a concern but I can’t imagine Apple not solving that dilemma right off the bat before they proceeded. Anyhow I’m just passing along the Reviewer amazement and excitement.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iamgalt Avatar
8 months ago

Another year, sticking with my 15 pro.
I'm hoping for at least another three years with my 15 pro max. I'll be good with 5 years of use out of it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)