Apple paves way for more affordable iOS accessories with lower MFi and Lightning licensing fees

“Apple last month again pared back the fees it charges third-parties and accessory makers who wish to manufacture official (MFi) electronic accessories, AirPlay audio accessories, and game controllers that connect to its iPods, iPhones, and iPads,” Katie Marsal reports for AppleInsider.

“Though it’s unclear by what measure the Cupertino-based company reduced the licensing fees, it’s expected that that the reduction will — in time — translate to slightly more affordable accessories for the company’s various iOS devices,” Marsal reports. “The move could also potentially open the doors to new accessory makers who were previously hesitant to bring their inventions to market under the previous pay structure.”

“Originally conceived as ‘Made for iPod’ back in January of 2005, the program initially charged steep fees rumored to have been in the realm of $10 per device, or 10% of the total retail cost of the accessory — whichever was greater,” Marsal reports. “Over time, Apple reportedly reduced the cost to between 1.5% and 8% of the total retail price of an item before ultimately settling on a flat $4 per connector fee, with a ‘Pass-through’ connector commanding two of those $4 licensing fees.”

Read more in the full article here.

11 Comments

    1. You’re getting to be more of a troll every day. It’s time you look on the mirror and ask yourself why you bother posting here. It used to be fun reading your many posts, but now I see your name and skip over your post.

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  1. I just read BLN’s comment and didn’t think it was troll-ish at all. I thought he was being complementary to Apple’s efficiency with regard to third-party accessory distribution channels.

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