Apple lowers MFi & Lightning licensing fees, paving way for more affordable iOS accessories
Apple last month again pared back the fees it charges third-parties and accessory makers who wish to manufacture official (MFi) electronic accessories, AirPlay audio accessories, and game controllers that connect to its iPods, iPhones, and iPads.
Though it's unclear by what measure the Cupertino-based company reduced the licensing fees, it's expected that that the reduction will -- in time -- translate to slightly more affordable accessories for the company's various iOS devices. The move could also potentially open the doors to new accessory makers who were previously hesitant to bring their inventions to market under the previous pay structure.
Apple charges the fees as part of its highly-successful MFi, or Made For iPod/iPhone/iPad, program that equips third party manufacturers with authorized hardware components, tools, documentation, technical support, and the ubiquitous Made for iPhone, Made for iPad, and Made for iPod certification logos seen on officially-sanctioned accessories hanging in Apple and other retail stores.
Originally conceived as "Made for iPod" back in January of 2005, the program initially charged steep fees rumored to have been in the realm of $10 per device, or 10% of the total retail cost of the accessory -- whichever was greater.
Over time, Apple reportedly reduced the cost to between 1.5% and 8% of the total retail price of an item before ultimately settling on a flat $4 per connector fee, with a "Pass-through" connector commanding two of those $4 licensing fees.
At last year's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple extended the MFi program to cover a new breed of officially sanctioned iOS game controllers. A handful of these first-to-market game controllers have begun to surface over the past few months with hefty price tags. AppleInsider has reviewed several of them.
Though it's unclear by what measure the Cupertino-based company reduced the licensing fees, it's expected that that the reduction will -- in time -- translate to slightly more affordable accessories for the company's various iOS devices. The move could also potentially open the doors to new accessory makers who were previously hesitant to bring their inventions to market under the previous pay structure.
Apple charges the fees as part of its highly-successful MFi, or Made For iPod/iPhone/iPad, program that equips third party manufacturers with authorized hardware components, tools, documentation, technical support, and the ubiquitous Made for iPhone, Made for iPad, and Made for iPod certification logos seen on officially-sanctioned accessories hanging in Apple and other retail stores.
Originally conceived as "Made for iPod" back in January of 2005, the program initially charged steep fees rumored to have been in the realm of $10 per device, or 10% of the total retail cost of the accessory -- whichever was greater.
Over time, Apple reportedly reduced the cost to between 1.5% and 8% of the total retail price of an item before ultimately settling on a flat $4 per connector fee, with a "Pass-through" connector commanding two of those $4 licensing fees.
At last year's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple extended the MFi program to cover a new breed of officially sanctioned iOS game controllers. A handful of these first-to-market game controllers have begun to surface over the past few months with hefty price tags. AppleInsider has reviewed several of them.
Comments
$4 per connector sounds fair, but Apple seriously need to consider licensing female lightning-port connectors to, at the very least, iPhone case makers. This business of buying a battery case for your iPhone and being forced to used mini-USB is a joke. Get this sorted, Apple, please.
Do we know that Apple don't license female Lightning connectors? Maybe the accessory manufacturers are simply deciding not to pay the additional licensing fee.
Unless I've misread the article.
Regarding the comment about the female lightning connector ... isn't that what's meant by "pass-through" in the article? So a 3rd party wanting to make a lightning extension cable would need to pay $8. I battery pack unit would have to pay $8 as well ... $4 for the male and $4 for the female.
Unless I've misread the article.
That is what the article states, but I believe the $4 cost they are using is for the old 30 pin connector. It sounds like they don't know how much the cost for using the lightning connector or creating a game controller is. I would assume that it would probably work the same way though, if the case manufacturer wanted to put a female lightning port on their product they would have to pay twice, once for the male lightning connector, and once for the female. It could be that with the old pricing none of the manufacturers thought it was worth paying double to include the female connector, now maybe with the price reduction some will start to.
Do we know that Apple don't license female Lightning connectors?
I head recently they were not, hence why all the cases, even the most expensive ones, are mini-USB.
Since the EU requires mobile devices to be able to use USB connectors, it's possible that the Battery case manufactures are leaving the USB connector in them for compatibility purposes.
$4 per connector sounds fair, but Apple seriously need to consider licensing female lightning-port connectors to, at the very least, iPhone case makers. This business of buying a battery case for your iPhone and being forced to used mini-USB is a joke. Get this sorted, Apple, please.
Seems I remember the EU mandates the use of mini-USB in certain products accessories so Apple may not be at fault here. I don'r remember all the details. Wouldn't make financial sense for a 3rd party to make two versions (USA, EU) of the same product.
The market has spoken %u2014 the fees are not reasonable. I used be able to buy extra iPhone 4 charging cables for about five dollars each, and they NEVER failed, no matter what brand I purchased. Today, with the silly authentication chip inside the iPhone cable, EVERY 3rd party cable I've tried has not worked, or only worked for a very short amount of time.
One of my early lightning cables stopped being recognized, but the ones that I bought from Monoprice a while back haven't had issue one. My rule for lightning cables is pretty much the same as chargers and batteries. You get what you pay for and only buy from trusted manufacturers/retailers.
Seems I remember the EU mandates the use of mini-USB in certain products accessories so Apple may not be at fault here.
Yes, but that mandate would apply to the iPhone, too, no?
As it is the fee encourages producers to look to other connectivity solutions that cost nothing, and coincidently work with other devices. Thus reducing reasons to buy apple products.
Also, can't apple have the lightning port do other functions that demonstrate a benefit over micro USB?
Except it isn’t USB.
Quality control costs money. Android has no quality control over third party accessories.
I think it would be fair for the $4 license fee to cover both the in and out connector. $8 is too expensive - it's 10% of the price of the entire case, which seems like a lot to me ...
Leaving aside the fact that $4 from each manufactured device is an expensive form of quality control (more like a license fee) why on earth would Apple want to engage in checking the quality of a Philips stereo dock?
Leaving aside the fact that $4 from each manufactured device is an expensive form of quality control (more like a license fee) why on earth would Apple want to engage in checking the quality of a Philips stereo dock?It's not just for
It's not just "quality" control but more importantly "compatibility" control. Apple has a very vested interest in making sure any device/connector/accessory attached to their product and riding on their success does not injure or diminish any function of the iDevice. Imagine if some rougue accesory was frying iPhones left and right. Who do you thing would take the blame not to mention absorbing the hit on Goodwill and probably left repairing devices under warranty.
Therefore, Apple has a very extensive "self certification" procedure that must be submitted before any device is MFI approved. It's actually quite impressive how well thought out all their requirements and testing procedures are in spite of the PITA factor.
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/02/07/lower-mfi-licensing-fees/