“We’re now hearing from a source close to Apple’s accessory manufacturing partner that the company plans to hold a conference in Shenzen, China for its Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad (MFI) program partners on November 7 and 8, similar to the one it held last year between December 7-9 when it expanded the MFI program to promote adoption of new AirPlay and Bluetooth standards,” Darrell Etherington reports for TechCrunch.

“We’re also hearing that Apple will strictly regulate sales of Lightning connectors for MFI partners, and that the cost per part for those components, while not unreasonable, is fairly high compared to other widely-available standards like USB,” Etherington reports. “iLounge reported earlier in October that the confab in Shenzen for MFI partners was planned for November, and that it would detail new rules.”

Etherington reports, “One of those new rules, according to one of our sources close to the program,is that Apple’s Lightning pin supply is controlled by the company itself, and it supplies approved MFI partners with production quantities of the pin once their product is determined to have met its standards and specifications. It sells them in volume, and our source says the pricing is actually very fair when you consider the advanced technology involved in the connector’s construction.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Lightning Dock yearners, rejoice!

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Dan K." for the heads up.]