MFi is short for Made for iPhone, iPad, and iPod and is Apple’s licensing program for developers and manufacturers. The MFi process spans hardware components, tools, documentation, technical support, and certification logos needed to create AirPlay audio accessories and electronic accessories that connect to iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
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Review: Monoprice’s new action camera is loaded with value for a fraction of GoPro’s price tag
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New Apple TV will look similar, but thicker (image via Michael Steeber)
Although iOS devices and the App Store have transformed the handheld gaming market, the first three Apple TV generations did not attempt to challenge Microsoft’s Xbox, Nintendo’s Wii, or Sony’s PlayStation game consoles for complete control of living room TVs. According to sources with knowledge of the product, the fourth-generation Apple TV will actively compete for TV gamers with updated hardware, software, and peripherals that will debut at Apple’s September 9 event in San Francisco.
One of the next Apple TV’s tentpole features will be near-universal Siri control, a feature hinted at in Apple’s invitation to the event. But the other will be deep support for gaming, representing Apple’s largest-ever effort to lure players from traditional consoles. In addition to the convenience of downloading games directly from the Apple TV’s built-in App Store, and controlling many of them via a new bundled remote control, Apple will also support more complex, console-style Bluetooth game controllers with the pressure-sensitive buttons and joysticks previously introduced for iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches…
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An example of current Apple Watch stands that must utilize Apple’s official Watch charging cable.
Apple will soon let manufacturers in its Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program include charging pads for the Apple Watch directly in their accessories, according to sources. Currently, dock makers can only offer charging by making unsightly openings in their docks for Apple’s official charger to sit, forcing users to bring their own cable and install it, and compromising an ideal design and user experience in the process. By making charging modules available to manufacturers to use, however, customers will be able to buy docks and stands with integrated chargers without needing to use their own.
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VIZIO 50-inch 4K 240Hz Smart LED UHDTV (refurb): $500 shipped (Orig. $1,800) http://t.co/0JCIp8U4P8 pic.twitter.com/RpzE1rpTMs
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 24, 2015
Justin Bieber <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3oStEyoXT8" target="_blank">wearing Monster-branded Spider-Man Beats headphones</a> in 2010
Years before Apple bought Beats Electronics, the Beats by Dr. Dre-branded headphones were produced in part by audio and video equipment maker Monster. After Beats decided to let its contract with Monster expire in 2012, however, the cable maker saw Apple’s $3 billion purchase of the company as reason to sue. Now Monster claims, after filing its lawsuit in January, that Apple is pushing it out of the MFi program that allows manufacturers to advertise compatibility with and use the iPhone maker’s licensed technology when producing and selling accessories…
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1-year PlayStation Plus membership $40 shipped (Reg. $50) http://t.co/0UL1qq5ADm pic.twitter.com/5H1YVQDUIz
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) May 8, 2015
Is this the first third-party Apple Watch charging cable? Apple hasn’t yet announced official plans for a third-party accessory program for Apple Watch, but that hasn’t stopped accessory makers from creating stands, charging docks, straps, and other accessories for the device. This charging cable from Ionic, a company that sells a lot of MFi certified cables and adapters through Amazon, might be the first advertising a third-party version of Apple’s own magnetic charging cable.
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Apple will allow its upcoming Siri-controlled HomeKit platform to work with certain existing, non-HomeKit home automation products, including ones using competing protocols such as ZigBee or Z-Wave, but there are many limitations. According to sources briefed on the new specs, the latest Made for iPhone (MFi) licensing program specifications detail the types of home automation products other than HomeKit that Apple will permit to interact with its platform.
During the 2014 WWDC, Apple briefly mentioned the possibility of connecting rival home automation products to HomeKit using a hardware “bridge,” but only in recent weeks has clarified the types of accessories that will and will not be allowed.
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We previously told you that Apple will be licensing its female Lightning port to third-party accessories, following an announcement to Made for iPhone licensees late last year. Since then, the company has released specs for the Lightning port that details exactly what Apple hopes to achieve by opening it up to third-parties, including how it could improve accessories.
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If I had to choose one word to describe how Incipio’s past iPhone offGRID battery cases felt, it would probably be “svelte,” as they were all impressively thin and gently curved. Starting today, Incipio is shipping its first offGRID case for the iPhone 6, and it notably trades “svelte” for “edgy” design. Offered only in matte black, it’s called offGRID Express ($80), and Incipio claims it’s the first Apple-certified iPhone 6 battery case that’s actually available for consumers to purchase. This time, the back is somewhat angular, due in part to a larger battery pack than prior models, and the sides are equipped with the fancy metallic button protectors rival Mophie has only offered in its most expensive Juice Packs.
Incipio’s message is clear: by offering 3000mAh of power at an $80 price point, offGRID Express is practically daring Mophie – and any other Apple MFi-licensed manufacturer – to step up and take a swing at its value proposition. Yes, comparatively unknown vendors are selling cheaper options, and Tylt offers a 3200mAh, Apple-licensed alternative called Energi for $100, but offGRID Express actually matches it in recharging performance for a lower price. It’s positioned directly at consumers who care about both quality and cost, not just one or the other.
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Apple’s new CarPlay iOS feature has recently arrived through a limited number of in-dash vehicle entertainment systems and aftermarket products, but Apple has now introduced official guidelines for companies building CarPlay hardware through its Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program, according to sources.
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Apple recently started requiring case manufacturers in its Made for iPhone (MFi) licensing program follow new requirements that will ensure cases better protect Apple devices and cover glass from impact, according to sources with knowledge of the new guidelines.
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Adonit Jot Touch w/ Pixelpoint Bluetooth LE pressure sensitive stylus for iPad $50 (Reg. $100)
MacBook/iPad stickers (multiple options) Buy One, Get One Free: $4 shipped (Reg. $40)
Amazon flips the switch on free 4K streaming for Prime members, here are the 4K UHDTVs you want to watch it on
Last week at Apple’s yearly briefing for accessory makers in its Made-for-iPhone/iPad (MFi) licensing program, the company unveiled new Lightning connectors and specs for Lightning receptacles that will soon be available for implementation in MFi accessories. The new Lightning receptacle, scheduled to start shipping next year, will allow accessory makers to build new types of accessories that include a port for Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector previously reserved for its own iOS devices (pictured above).
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Apple’s annual MFi summit, an event for accessory manufacturers in its Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod licensing program, will focus on getting accessory makers ready for new technologies including HomeKit hardware, iBeacon, Apple’s new Lightning headphones spec, and game controllers, according to Apple’s official event schedule.
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Today’s can’t miss deals:
Last Call updates:
Bowers & Wilkins Z2 AirPlay speaker w/ Lightning dock $100 shipped (orig. $400)
Seagate 2TB Expansion Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive: $75 shipped (Reg. $110)
Power up: Lumsing 10400mAh Power Bank $19, Bolse Lightning (MFi)/Micro USB car charger $24
Belkin 20% off sitewide: Thunderbolt 2 Express Dock HD for Mac $240, WeMo LED starter set $80, much more
11-inch Apple MacBook Air 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB refurbished w/ 90-day warranty: $599 shipped
Small States: Carved wraps your phone w/ wood from sunken ships & skateboards, multiple giveaways
Sabrent 50W 5-port USB desktop charger $16 Prime shipped (Reg. $30) http://t.co/GSn9TqX6gI
— 9to5Toys (@9to5toys) October 10, 2014
Other new deals:
More deals still alive:
More iPhone 6/6 Plus deals, accessories, and trade offers:
New products/ongoing promos:
