Apple's iPhone came a step closer to reaching the hands of eager consumers today after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it had approved the device. 

The approval means that Apple has the green light to use the device for calls within the wireless spectrum, and can start selling it whenever it is ready. The company said that it still plans to release the iPhone in late June.

The FCC requires that all devices using the wireless spectrum are tested and approved before being released. Regulations limit the amount of power output and spectrum use in wireless devices.

The agency has made the test results publicly available, although sensitive information such as internal photographs and the user manual were not posted at Apple's request.

Development of the much-heralded iPhone has been a bumpy road for Apple. The company faced a naming dispute with Cisco in February, and development problems led Apple to divert resources causing the delay of Mac OS 10.5. 

Most recently, rumours about a possible iPhone delay sent the company's stock tumbling.