Preface
The MFi ecosystem is specially created by Apple for Apple device accessories, and its dynamics have always attracted the close attention of many accessories manufacturers. This time, Apple opened the MFi certification of USB-C female to Lightning products, injecting new vitality into the charging industry. On this occasion, Charging Head Network joins hands with Hongbiao to share the latest technical information and MFi certified dry goods for you.
The guest speaker of this seminar is Mr. Dong Hongqin, General Manager of Hongbiao, and the topic of the speech is the technical application of MFi 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, concentrating on relevant standards and products in the field, and has a deep understanding of them, and is accustomed to helping customers solve practical problems from the perspective of products. With strong industry information sensitivity, we provide customers with reliable and valuable certification solutions.
MFi all-in-one data cable certification technology sharing
MFi is a logo license authorized by Apple Inc. to the manufacturer of iPhone/iPad/iPod/iWatch device accessories, which is the English abbreviation of "Made for iOS". "Made for iPod", "Made for iPhone", "Made for iPad", "Made for iWatch" refers to accessories designed for iPod, iPhone, iPad, and iWatch, respectively. These logos printed on the product indicate that they have been approved by Apple and represent the safety and compatibility of the product. You may not use the MFi trademark without authorization, otherwise it will cause infringement.
MFi currently licenses a wide range of areas, including smart homes, vehicle infotainment systems, speakers, headphones, game controllers, fitness equipment, hearing aids, power and cables, music creation, toys, location findup, car keys, and more.
When is MFi certification required?
1. Accessories developers, manufacturers or brand owners who wish to be responsible for MFi accessories certification.
2. Brand owners who want to directly track and manage the progress of MFi accessory certification with their brand.
3. Manufacturers who want to develop or manufacture MFi accessories for others as finished products.
4. Accessories manufacturers who have a manufacturing plant and want to do the final assembly of their own or their guests' MFi accessories.
5. Technology providers who wish to provide products or services to other MFi licensees.
When is MFi certification not required?
1. Developers and manufacturers of non-electronic accessories, including non-MagSafe cases and Apple Watch bands.
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 that implement iAP2 via USB-C).
3. Distributors and dealers who want to purchase or sell MFi finished accessories.
4. Create an application developer who communicates with MFi accessories. (Non-EAP)
5. Accessory developers and manufacturers who connect to Apple devices using only Bluetooth Low Energy or standard Bluetooth profiles supported by iOS
Since v7.0, the big difference between MFi and the previous version is that it has added various roles, which were previously only divided into two types: manufacturing type and development type, and the process is relatively rigid. After v7.0, roles are defined and more flexible, each role plays different jobs in MFi operation, and different roles do different MFi certification management responsibilities, such as some process subcontractors such as sellers, brand owners, developers, etc., who only do part of the work, want to apply MFi when doing a certain link in the middle is more flexible.
The MFi certification process is divided into two parts, one is qualification and the other is product certification. Qualification is at the company level, generally after obtaining MFi qualification, the qualification can be maintained for a long time according to the rules, and the product certification needs to be certified separately according to the different design of each product. If you want to know more about the specific requirements of each detail, you can contact Hongbiao for relevant information.
MFi's current technology covers the charging field, including adapters, power banks, data cables, wireless chargers, adapters, and iAP protocols. The field of charging is now divided into three main categories: wireless charging, wired charging, and accessories controlled by wired charging protocols.
Previously, Apple opened the Micro USB to C48 charging kit, which gave birth to a large number of all-in-one data cables, bringing great convenience to users. However, in the previous MFi standard, one of the requirements was that USB-C could not be directly electrically connected to the Lightning connector, and it was not until recently that Apple opened up the USB-C to Lightning product, which allows the adapter to charge and transfer data from the USB-C plug to devices with Lightning.
The MFi adapter requires only the C94 Lightning connector to be used, and the USB-C socket only needs to be USB-IF certified. The adapter needs to be added to the PD control chip, which has a number of technical requirements. There are technical requirements for Level 4 ESD protection on Vbus and CC lines. It can be seen that the MFi has quite strict requirements for adapters, and if they are made in accordance with the electrical requirements, the adapter may be larger.
The adapter reference design circuit diagram is shown above, where the corresponding electrical requirements are located. After the design, the volume and cost are not easy to control, and C94 already has OVP, RVP, OCP and other functions.
In the all-in-one charging cable, Apple MFi has defined that the USB-C to Lightning adapter must use C94, and the USB-A to Lightning adapter must use C189, so the all-in-one cable can only use the C to C cable plus the adapter. And it is not possible to transfer USB-A at the other end to achieve the data cable effect of A-L.
USB-C to Lightning adapter certification tests mainly include product design, DC impedance, stress test, overvoltage protection, exposed size, limit current, plugging and unplugging test, and quiescent current. The vast majority of the testing requirements come from the electrical design of the C94 Lightning connector itself.
After Apple's iPhone15 upgraded its USB-C interface last year, and USB-C does not require MFi certification, there is no limit, so is MFi useless?
According to public information, as of March 2024, the number of MFi authorized manufacturers in the world is 442. Not only data cables and chargers, but also smart home, sports, health, audio, and more.
Apple has responded to this matter, Apple is still selling Lightning connector products, and the accessory ecosystem is still important to Apple and users. At present, Apple has about 1.5 billion active Lightning devices, and the stock market is quite huge. According to statistics, the ratio of each Apple device to accessories is about 1:7, which means that Apple mobile phones and other devices may use 7 chargers and 7 data lines in the life cycle class.
Although the USB-C port upgrade of iPhone15 has had a great impact on Apple's MFi accessories, for Apple, the MFi ecosystem is very important. The charging port has existed since the invention of the mobile phone, but with the popularization of wireless charging and the improvement of the use experience of wireless charging, mobile digital products will even develop in the direction of no charging port in the future. Wireless charging is very important in Apple's ecosystem, iPhone12-15 device hardware actually supports higher power wireless charging, is it possible that there will be an upgraded version of Magsafe in the future, and the old iPhone software will have a faster wireless charging speed after the software upgrade. Every update of Apple is basically good for the industry, and the introduction of new technologies in the future contains countless new opportunities.
About Hongbiao
Hongbiao Certification & Testing Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive third-party testing and certification organization, covering inspection, testing, certification, and technical services, providing enterprises with a one-stop solution.
At present, it has more than 10 laboratories such as electromagnetic compatibility, wireless radio frequency, product safety, vehicle multimedia interconnection, wireless charging, Apple MFi, multimedia digital interface, etc., and has a professional engineer team and service team of more than 50 people. MFi laboratory is currently the only laboratory with the most complete configuration and the most complete coverage in the domestic private laboratory, covering data cables, adapters, power supplies, headphones, car machines and other products, basically covering all the fields currently authorized by MFi.
Hongbiao certification and testing is operated in strict accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 quality management system, and has obtained CNAS, CMA, A2LA, WPC (ATL) and other authorized qualifications, and has established long-term friendly and stable cooperative relations and excellent communication channels with many international certification bodies, precipitated rich experience in certification and testing, and has provided comprehensive services for thousands of enterprises in product certification, and has accumulated strong technical experience and advantages.
In the field of MFi testing, Hongbiao has served most MFi companies in the industry, has more than ten years of professional experience, and has basically done 10,000+ cases, and can give customers code-level technical support professionally, including Debug. The largest MFi laboratory in the private sector, and the only laboratory that is fully matched with the official laboratory.
Testing is only the basic obligation of Hongbiao, and Hongbiao is committed to providing customers with expert-level coaching services from the perspective of customers, product-oriented, and high-quality information. It is our goal for customers to make money, and it is our pursuit to achieve a win-win situation. If you have any questions and testing needs, please feel free to contact us for more information.
Live Q&A
1. Are there any requirements for chargers for the products sold in charger and charging cable sets, together with MFi certification?
A simple charger that does not use any Apple-related technology and materials cannot pass MFi certification. The set of products must be certified together, packaged together with the MFi certification mark for sale, and the data cable in the set cannot be sold separately.
2. Are there any other standards for Lightning interface that are not open for MFi certification?
MFi has a very clear definition of Lightning, which is currently fully open to C89, C94, C78 (protocol), C79, etc.
3. Does the C to Lightning adapter have to be CC controller to pass the certification?
According to the requirements of the MFi standard, the adapter needs to be equipped with a PD controller to meet the MFi certification requirements. However, complex circuit design may lead to mediocre product aesthetics. There are also some simplified solutions that can be realized, you can contact Hongbiao for more information.
Summary of the 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 for the USB-C to Lightning adapter are clearly stated, and the circuit design is given as a reference, including certification testing requirements. In the face of the difficulty in controlling the volume and cost caused by the MFi requirements for USB-C to Lightning adapter technical standards, Hongbiao has professional suggestions waiting for you to consult. After the iPhone15 is upgraded to the USB-C port, what will happen to the MFi in the future, Dong Hongqin shared his professional imagination as an industry insider. Testing is only the basic obligation of Hongbiao, and Hongbiao is committed to providing customers with expert-level coaching services from the perspective of customers, product-oriented, and high-quality information.