Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company ...

's MFi Program, referring to "Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad", is a licensing program for developers of hardware and software

peripheral A peripheral or peripheral device is an auxiliary device used to put information into and get information out of a computer. The term ''peripheral device'' refers to all hardware components that are attached to a computer and are controlled by the ...

s that work with Apple's

iPod The iPod is a discontinued series of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first version was released on October 23, 2001, about months after the Macintosh version of iTunes ...

iPad The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating s ...

and iPhone. The name is a shortened version of the long-form Made for iPod, the original program that ultimately became MFi. The MFi program covers various device connectors including the headphone jack, original

dock connector A dock connector is a connector used to attach a mobile electronic device simultaneously to multiple external resources. The dock connector will typically carry a variety of signals and power, through a single connector, to simplify the process o ...

and the newer

Lightning connector Lightning is a proprietary computer bus and power connector created and designed by Apple Inc. and introduced on , to replace its predecessor, the 30-pin dock connector. The Lightning connector is used to connect Apple mobile devices like iPh ...

, as well as

AirPlay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

support. Companies joining the MFi program and passing certification tests are able to display certain MFi-related logos on their product packaging, like the "Made for iPod" badge.

Made for iPod

The Made for iPod program was launched at the

Macworld Expo Macworld/iWorld was an information technology trade show with conference tracks dedicated to the Apple Macintosh platform. It was held annually in the United States during January. Originally ''Macworld Expo'' and then ''Macworld Conference & Expos ...

on 11 January 2005, although some products released just before the announcement carried a "Ready for iPod" label instead.Jeremy Horwitz
"Made for iPod central information hub"
iLounge, 30 January 2005 It was reported at that time that Apple would be charging a 10% cut for all products with the logo, and the press described this as a "tax". iPods use an extended

headphone jack A phone connector, also known as phone jack, audio jack, headphone jack or jack plug, is a family of electrical connectors typically used for analog signal, analog audio signals. A plug, the Gender of connectors and fasteners, male connect ...

that allows additional control inputs like mute and volume adjustments, and licenses were available for products plugging into the jack or the dock connector. When using the dock connector, devices are able to control the iPod using a simple serial protocol known as the Apple Accessory Protocol (AAP). This uses a (normally) 19,200 bit/s 8N1 communications signal to send short packets containing commands like "take voice note" or "volume up". With the introduction of the 3rd generation iPods, AAP was available to the headphone connection as well. These signals are used by many Made for iPod devices to allow remote control, including car integration systems.

New product lines

With the introduction of the iPhone the program name extended to "Made for iPod and Made for iPhone", and then still again with the

to become "Made for iPod, iPhone and iPad". The program name officially changed to MFi around 2010, although this term had been used unofficially for some time. The MFi program now also covers the AirTunes system for wirelessly streaming music. AirTunes was originally introduced in 2004 on the Mac and PC platforms inside

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

, and later became known as

when video-out capabilities were added to support devices like the

Apple TV An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

. AirPlay came to the devices when they gained WiFi capabilities with the introduction of the iPhone and

iPod Touch The iPod Touch (stylized as iPod touch) is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a music pl ...

. With no hardware component, AirPlay has been widely implemented in both official and non-MFi software systems (see

for details).

Lightning connector

With the introduction of the

the branding was changed and officially became MFi, a term that had been used unofficially for some time. Lightning also introduced additional protocols that could only be officially supported through the MFi program. In addition to the technical requirements, according to TUAW, Apple also took the opportunity to update the licensing agreement to require all 3rd parties to agree to Apple's supplier responsibility code.

iOS 7 and beyond

The release of the developer's version of

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...

7 at the 2013

WWDC The Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is an information technology conference held annually by Apple Inc. The conference is usually held at Apple Park in California. The event is usually used to showcase new software and technologies in t ...

included a new MFi approval for

game controller A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. Before the seventh generation ...

s, either wrap-around designs that clip onto an iOS device, or completely separate wireless models. Developers wishing to integrate their devices and application with

HomeKit HomeKit, also known as Apple Home, is a software framework developed by Apple Inc., made available in iOS and iPadOS that lets users configure, communicate with and control smart-home appliances using Apple devices. It provides users with a way ...

must also be members of the MFi program in order to get access to specifications, as well as certify their products.Lou Hattersley
"Apple HomeKit release date rumours: Apple's system for controlling gadgets in your home coming this spring"
''MacWorld'', 28 January 2015

References

External links

* {{Official , https://developer.apple.com/programs/mfi Apple Inc. peripherals