FCC approves Apple's iPhone

Chicago (IL) - Apple’s iPhone has cleared a major hurdle on its way to a commercial release.

According to a notification posted on the FCC’s website today, the organization’s Office of Engineering and Technology has officially approved Apple’s upcoming iPhone. Besides the fact that Apple has provide test results for the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz GSM bands, the filing does not reveal any additional information about the iPhone : Apple requested that documents that contain detailed information about the iPhone - such as the manual of product pictures - remain confidential until July 1 of this year.

However, we do know that the phone will have a 3.5" touchscreen with 160 dpi resolution. Rumor has it that Intel is supplying key hardware for the phone and that China-based Foxconn will assemble the device. At 11.6 mm, the iPhone is not the thinnest phone out there, but it is thin enough to be able to escape the definition of being bulky. Standard equipment include 4 GB or 8 GB of flash memory storage, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a web browser, push email (with Yahoo email). Instead of relying on other software companies, Apple decided to use Mac OS X as operating system for the iPhone.

At the time of its release, the iPhone will be available only from Cingular Wireless as a GSM/EDGE device for Apple mentioned in a newsletter that the iPhone will be available sometime in June, while an exact launch date has been withheld so far. However, News.com mentioned in a blog posting that a Cingular representative revealed that the iPhone will be introduced on June 11.

Pricing for the phone is set at $500 for the 4 GB version and $600 for the 8 GB model.