Recently, it can be confirmed from the exposed iOS code and supply chain news that Apple will adopt the "mainstream" Type-C interface in the iPhone 15 series in response to the EU's new regulations requiring electronic products to use Type-C interface standards.
Source: Redmondpie
But you know, according to the latest statistics, in the shipment statistics in the fourth quarter of 2022, the overall proportion of iPhones reached 25%, becoming the world's first shipment in the fourth quarter. As a "hegemon" that dominates the smartphone market, a large part of Apple's revenue is obtained through MFI certification.
Source: Apple official website MFI certification logo
Apple MFi certification (Apple's "Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad") is Apple's license to use external accessories produced by its authorized accessory manufacturers. As a third-party accessories manufacturer, if you want your own data cable, charger and other devices to be able to link Apple devices normally, you need to pay a certain fee to obtain chip authorization, otherwise you will receive a pop-up prompt "This cable or accessory has not been certified" from time to time when the accessories are used.
Source: Pop-up prompt when iPhone connects unauthorized data cable
And Apple also has clear mandatory requirements for all its authorized dealers, that is, for Apple's functional accessories products, certified authorized brand accessories products must be sold. If the user uses unauthorized accessories to cause damage to the Apple device, Apple will not make any warranty.
Especially after the iPhone 12 canceled the included charger for environmental reasons, third-party accessory manufacturers sprung up in the mobile phone charger market, and Apple took the opportunity to charge a large wave of accessory licensing fees.
After it was revealed that the iPhone 15 will use Type-C as a new interface, many Apple family bucket users said that they can finally solve all problems with only two data cables when they go out (Apple Watch's magnetic charging cable and C to C data cable).
But don't be happy too early, although it has been replaced by Type-C, it is not easy to get Apple to give up the big cake of MFI.
According to the account "mobile phone chip master", Apple's iPhone15's Type-C interface will be customized, built-in Lightning's interface IC (can be understood as an authentication chip), and this new interface will also be used on all MFI devices using Type-C interface.
What do you mean?
Simply put, Apple's Type-C interface is not a simple Type-C interface, it will follow the previous Lightning authentication chip, if the user uses a non-certified C port data cable, it is likely to limit some mobile phone connection functions, such as fast charging, data transmission and CarPlay.
In other words, although it seems to be an ordinary Type-C interface, it still contains Apple's proprietary protocol.
Don't worry about spraying apple chicken thieves, I will analyze this matter for you in detail.
From the user's point of view, even if Apple limits the versatility of the Type-C interface, it will still come with a certified new data cable in the box when buying an iPhone 15 device, so if you do not have the need to prepare a new charging set in multiple scenarios, in fact, this matter has no decisive impact on you, if you have used the iPhone 12 or later models. Then the charging head in your hand will theoretically perfectly support the new authentication data cable, after all, the current charging head has also passed the MFI authorization agreement.
For Apple users who want to travel with a line, they can use Apple's newly certified MFI Type-C data cable for Mac or iPhone, and there is a high probability that AirPods Type-C will be launched in the follow-up to the new charging case, and such users can also go to the world with a line.
But if you are also a user with power anxiety like me, I still recommend that each device bring an independent data cable and a multi-port charger, even if they are all unified, in many cases only one cable can not cope.
Apple's certification of the Type-C interface has the biggest impact on those Android and iPhone "dual-wielding" users. These users need to pay attention to whether the charging kit of their Android mobile phone can be used normally on the iPhone.
But then again, we mentioned earlier that Apple will not disable the charging function of the non-certified C port data cable, but the speed may be affected, and the Android camp's current private charging protocol is not exactly the same? If you want to achieve the most "full blood" use experience of each family, the original charging set corresponding to the brand is not running, so think about it, is it okay for Apple to certify its own C-port data cable?
The only "victim" of the whole incident may be the third-party manufacturer that makes the data cable and charger, and the cost of MFI certification should be paid or paid, and the careful thinking of saving money is out of play. But precisely because they pay this fee and certify their brand accessories, users are more secure when they buy.
I don't think anyone wants to buy a charger after there is a problem with the accessories manufacturer can not be contacted, Apple does not care about repair, right?
Source: Little Red Book screenshot Author: Black Heart Dragon Fruit
The user of Xiaohongshu is a victim of counterfeit and shoddy chargers, because of the explosion caused by buying a third-party charger cheaply, so Apple's MFI certification fee for third-party accessory manufacturers is also a "quality inspection fee" charged by users to a certain extent. When there is a problem with the accessory, Apple will carry out the repair process for the equipment damage caused by the MFI-certified accessories, but if there is no MFI authorization, the user may need to bear the cost or fall into the infinite dispute with the accessory manufacturer.
In the final analysis, MFi certification in essence also solves the standardization of accessories and the problem of "responsibility attribution" after the problem, so that users can be more assured when purchasing authorized accessories, as for the price problem, due to the "inner volume" of many domestic manufacturers, the price of Apple MFI certification accessories has long been not high, dozens of dollars can buy a combination of data cable + charger, the price can be much more affordable than the original accessories.
Therefore, Apple still requires MFI authorization for the interface and accessories of the new iPhone, which is not a bad thing in nature, do you think?