MFiEcology isAppleThe company is dedicated toAppleThe dynamic of equipment accessories has always attracted the attention of many accessories manufacturersMFiThe opening of new technologies has brought new market opportunities to the field of accessory manufacturing.thisAppleOpen USB-C female to Lightning productsMFiCertification has injected new vitality into the charging industry.At this time, the charging head network works togetherHongbiaoShare the latest technical information andMFiCertified dry goods.
The specially invited speakers of this seminar areHongbiaoMr. Dong Hongqin, General Manager, gave a speech onMFiTechnology application in charging products.Mr. Dong Hongqin has been deeply involved in the field of mobile digital accessories testing for more than 10 years, focusing on technical research, and has deeply understood the relevant standards and products in the field. He is used to helping customers solve practical problems from the perspective of products.With super industry information sensitivity, it provides customers with reliable and valuable certification solutions.
MFi All in Onedata lineCertification technology sharing
MFi isAppleThe company authorizes the manufacturer of accessories around the iPhone/iPad/iPod/iWatch device to use the logo, which is the abbreviation of "Made for iOS"."Made for iPod", "Made for iPhone", "Made for iPad" and "Made for iWatch" refer to iPod respectively,IPhone, iPad, iWatch.These marks printed on the product indicate thatAppleThe license of represents the security and compatibility of the product.The MFi trademark cannot be used without authorization, otherwise it will cause infringement.
MFi currently authorizes a wide range of fields, including smart homes, vehicle infotainment systems, speakers, headphones, game controllers, fitness equipment, hearing aids, power supplies and cables, music creation, toys, location search, car keys, etc.
When is MFi certification required?
1. Accessory developers, manufacturers or brand owners who wish to be responsible for MFi accessory certification.
2. Brand owners who want to directly track and manage the certification progress of MFi accessories with their brands.
3. Manufacturers who wish to develop or manufacture MFi accessories for others as finished products.
4. A component manufacturer who has a manufacturing plant and wants to carry out final assembly of MFi components for himself or his customers.
5. Technology providers who wish to provide products or services to other MFi licensees.
When does MFi certification not need?
1. Non electronics accessory developers and manufacturers, including non MagSafe cases and Apple Watch watchbands.
2. Developers and manufacturers of USB-C charging accessories and USB device accessories that do not use any MFi licensed technology or licensed components.(MFi is required for accessories to achieve iAP2 through USB-C).
3. Distributors and dealers who wish to purchase or sell MFi finished parts.
4. Create application developers who communicate with MFi accessories.(Non EAP)
5. Accessory developers and manufacturers who only use Bluetooth low-power or iOS supported standard Bluetooth profiles to connect to Apple devices
Since v7.0, the major difference between MFI and the previous version is the addition of various roles. Previously, MFI was divided into two types: production and development. The process is relatively rigid.After v7.0, roles are defined to be more flexible. Each role plays different roles in the MFi operation. Different roles have different MFi certification management responsibilities. For example, some process subcontractors who only do part of the work, such as vendors, brands and developers, want to apply MFI more flexibly when doing a certain link in the middle.
MFi certification process is divided into two parts, one is qualification certification, the other is product certification.Qualification is company level. Generally, after obtaining MFi qualification, the qualification can be maintained for a long time according to the rules. Product certification needs to be carried out according to the different design of each product.If you want to know more about some specific requirements of each detail, please contactHongbiaoObtain relevant information.
MFi's current technology covers the charging field, including adapters, mobile power suppliesdata line, wireless chargingAdapter、IAP protocol.The charging field is now divided into three categories: wireless charging, wired charging and accessories controlled by wired charging protocol.
Apple has previously opened the Micro USB to C48 charging kit, which has led to a large number of all-in-onedata line, bringing great convenience to users.However, one of the previous MFi standards only required that the USB-C could not be directly connected to the Lightning connector. Until recently, Apple had just opened the USB-C to Lightning product,AdapterYou can charge and transfer data to devices with Lightning from the USB-C plug.
AdapterMFi requires that only C94 Lightning connectors be used,USB-C socket only needs USB-IF certification.AdapterPD control chip shall be added, and the chip has several technical requirements.There are technical requirements for level 4 ESD protection on Vbus and CC lines.It can be seen that MFiAdapterThe requirements of are quite strict. If the electrical requirements are followed, the adapter may have a large volume.
The reference design circuit diagram of the adapter is shown above, and the corresponding electrical requirements are included.The volume and cost of the design are difficult to control,There are OVPRVP, OCP and other functions.
In the multi in one charging cable, Apple MFi has defined that the USB-C to Lightning adapter must use C94,The USB-A to Lightning adapter must use C189, so all in onedata lineOnly use C to Cdata lineAdd adapter.And the other end cannot be transferred to USB-A to achieve the A-L data cable effect.
The certification test of USB-C to Lightning adapter mainly includes product design, DC impedance, pressure test, overvoltage protection, exposed size, limiting current, plug and pull test, and static current.Most of the test requirements come from the electrical design of C94 Lightning connector itself.
After the USB-C interface of Apple's iPhone 15 was upgraded last year, and the USB-C does not need MFi authentication, there is no limit, so is MFi useless?
According to public data, as of March 2024, there are 442 MFi authorized manufacturers worldwide.Not only data cable and charger, but also smart home, sports, health, audio, etc.
Apple responded to this. Apple is still selling Lightning interface products, and accessory ecology is still important for Apple and users.At present, Apple has about 1.5 billion active Lightning devices, with a huge stock market.According to statistics, the usage ratio of each Apple device and accessory is about 1:7, which means that Apple phones and other devices may use 7 chargers and 7 data lines in the service life cycle category.
The upgrade of the USB-C port of iPhone 15 has had a great impact on Apple's MFi accessories, but for Apple,MFi ecology is very important.The charging port has existed since the invention of mobile phones. However, with the popularization of wireless charging and the improvement of the use experience of wireless charging, mobile digital products will even develop towards the direction of no charging port in the future. No charging port can not only save costs, but also improve the aesthetics and water and dust resistance.Wireless charging is very important in Apple's ecosystem,The iPhone 12-15 device hardware actually supports higher power wireless charging,Whether there may be an upgraded version of Magsafe in the future. After the old iPhone software is upgraded, it will have a faster wireless charging speed.Every update of Apple is basically good for the industry. The introduction of new technologies in the future contains countless new opportunities.
HongbiaoCertification and testing company is a comprehensive third-party testing and certification organization, whose business covers inspection, testing, certification and technical services, providing one-stop solutions for enterprises.
At present, it has more than 10 laboratories, including electromagnetic compatibility, wireless radio frequency, product safety, vehicle multimedia interconnection, wireless charging, Apple MFi, multimedia digital interface, and more than 50 professional engineers and service teams.MFi laboratory is the only one with the most complete configuration and coverage in the domestic private laboratory at present. The testing field covers data cable, adapter, power supply, headset, car machine and other products, basically covering all fields authorized by MFi at present.
Hongbiao certification and testing were carried out in strict accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system, and obtained CNASCMA, A2LA, WPC (ATL) and other authorized qualifications have established long-term friendly and stable cooperation and excellent communication channels with many international certification bodies, accumulated rich experience in certification and testing, provided comprehensive services in product certification for thousands of enterprises, and accumulated rich technical experience and advantages.
Hongbiao has served most MFi enterprises in the industry in the field of MFi detection, has more than ten years of professional experience, and has basically done 10000+cases. In terms of professionalism, it can provide customers with code level technical support, including debugging.The largest private MFi laboratory is the only one that matches the official laboratory one-on-one.
Testing is only the basic obligation of Hongbiao. Hongbiao is committed to providing expert coaching services to customers from the perspective of customers, product orientation, and high-quality information.Making money for customers is our goal, and achieving win-win is our pursuit.If you have any questions or test requirements, please contact Hongbiao.
Live Q&A
1. Are there any requirements for chargers for MFi certification of products sold by chargers and charging cable kits?
The simple charger does not use any related technologies and materials from Apple, and cannot pass MFi certification.Packaged products must be certified together, packaged together with MFi certification mark for sale, and the data cable in the package cannot be sold separately.
2、Is there any other standard not open for the Lightning interface for MFi certification?
MFi has a very clear definition of Lightning,Lightning currently includes C89C94, C78 (protocol)C79 and others have been fully opened.
3、Must CC controller be certified for C to Lightning adapter?
According to the requirements of MFi standard, the adapter needs to be equipped with PD controller to meet the requirements of MFi certification.However, the complex circuit design may lead to the general aesthetics of the product.There are also some simplification schemes that can be realized. Please contact Hongbiao for more information.
Summary of charging head network
Mr. Dong Hongqin, General Manager of Hongbiao, shared the hard core knowledge related to MFi and introduced the MFi certification process.The technical requirements of the USB-C to Lightning adapter are clearly stated, and the circuit design is provided with reference, including certification test requirements.In the face of MFi's requirement of USB-C to Lightning adapter's technical standard, the volume and cost are not easy to control, so professional suggestions are waiting for your consultation.After upgrading the USB-C port of iPhone 15,Dong Hongqin shared his professional imagination as an insider about the future changes of MFi.Testing is only the basic obligation of Hongbiao. Hongbiao is committed to providing expert coaching services to customers from the perspective of customers, product orientation, and high-quality information.