“Following up on prior reports that Apple had not made Lightning connectors available to developers, multiple reliable sources have confirmed to iLounge that Apple has made significant changes to its Made For iPad/iPhone/iPod (MFi) policies, tightening control over the manufacturing of Lightning accessories,” Phil Dzikiy reports for iLounge.
“According to the sources, only Apple-approved manufacturing facilities will be allowed to produce Lightning connector accessories, even including third-party accessories,” Dzikiy reports. “Moreover, Apple hasn’t approved any factories yet, which the sources say will limit the number of Lightning accessories available in the near future.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Related article:
Apple’s Lightning Connector’s authentication chip thwarts cheap knockoffs – October 2, 2012
Let the whining begin!
Nice try Apple. Prohibition a la Apple. The after market non Apple certified products supply chain will never be stopped.
yep, there is no f*&^^ckin way i’m paying $20 for a replacement cable that costs pennies to make
That’s good, because this connector costs dollars to make!!!
I saw that the new connector cost something like $3.50.
Tightwads, but if Apple spend loads of money to engineer it, it is worth what Apple charges. Cloners will have to wait their turn.
Not sure I follow? Are so infatuated with Apple that you will pay more for their crap when other companies build it just as good for a better price? Wow! Talk to the gaming console folks and see how many propriety products they sell as compared to after market. It is a fact of life and Apple is not immune. Hard for you to understand I know but do try.
I pay for quality that lasts, not cheap crap that falls apart a week after you buy it. That costs more in the first place, but less in the long run.
I guess you’re not smart enough to grasp a simple fact like that.
iSheeps believe this message but not intelligent consumers who realize that every company in the world preaches its self righteousness as means to extract more money from us. After market products more often than not are better quality for a lesser price failing which there would be no value in advancing an agenda of after market products.
Zune tangie is back in town 😉
Zunetang was much more entertaining.
A quality cable that costs 4x the price will generally not last 4x as long. I’m all for 3rd party cable suppliers. Depending on use, you may not NEED a durable cable, like plugging a cable into a dock.
Apple does overcharge for its cables. No question. As for quality, I went through several outboard power supplies for my iBooks because the cable kept cracking at the base of the connector. I went with a third party (sans LED – no big loss) for 55% the cost of the Apple item and it lasted for three years with no sign of wear.
Technology evolves, get used to it and stop whining.
Also, you know that the iPhone 5 comes with a Lightening cable, right?
I have no problem with Apple charging a (reasonable) licensing fee for a new connector on they spent a lot of time and money developing.
But don’t dawdle on approving 3rd party OEMs to manufacture peripherals! Made-for-iDevice peripherals are one of the most important “lock-ins” to the iDevice ecosystem. The money Apples can make off the licensing program is trivial by comparison.
Hah! Let them try to stop my CrackMyScreen™ customization service.
I normally would not comment on this, and generally have no issue with the fact that Apple made an engineering decision to change for the better, (at least in their own opinion) the connection to the iPhone, etc.
I do take issue with the blanket policy that prohibits third parties to provide lout ions that Apple has no intron of providing. I speak of at least two that come immediately to mind; the dock connector, which could have been both a nice interface to audio, as well as a receptacle for both the old and new charging cable, the other being devices like the TomTom cradle,which provided not only the charging and audio interface, but also the interface to the suplemental GPS, which, Apple broke in one swift move.
Sorry for the typos. What I meant to say was that I take issue with them seemingly blocking solutions that they have no intention of providing.