Hi,
We are using the AX88772C as a USB->Ethernet bridge in a product we are developing. Due to the chip not following the NCM protocol, it is not supported by the default networking drivers on the iPhone.
Initially, we intended on using DriverKit to develop a userspace driver for this device. However, we have been informed DriverKit is only available on iPad OS, not iOS.
As such is the case, we have found two possible alternatives. First being IOkit, and the second being External Accessory Session (EASession).
What are the limitations of each of these options? We need the ability to send and receive USB packets to Control and Bulk endpoints. Is this possible with either of the options defined above? Would either of these options require the device to be MFi certified?
We have read that some APIs within IOkit require the apple device to be jailbroken. Is there a list of features that can be used without a jailbroken device? Documentation on these 2 options is limited, so any official documentation would be great.
Thanks!
External Accessory
RSS for tagCommunicate with accessories connected to a device by the Apple Lightning connector or through Bluetooth using External Accessory.
Posts under External Accessory tag
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HELP ME someone is using all of these tools etc and have been hacking all of my devices and iClouds and certain apps using HomeKit iCloud kit Xcode and I need someone to help me debug my phone or teach me what to do they are using hardware or external / sharing across devices / and it’s seriously affecting my physical and mental health. I have contacted the FBI and have a meeting in October but I’m hoping someone can help me in the time being please it’s all of my devices and daugters tabelts / doesn’t matter if it’s android or iPhone . help plssss
Topic:
Community
SubTopic:
Apple Developers
Tags:
Swift Packages
Developer Tools
CarPlay
External Accessory
This is a regression since iOS 13. Is there no-one at Apple interested in fixing this?
FB9856371
We've received several reports of a new bug while setting up our products with WAC. The Accessory Setup UI appears with a blank network selected and the message 'This accessory will be set up to join "(null)".' at top. The user can tap "Show Other Networks..." to select another network, but this experience is very confusing. Why does this UI present a choice that is known to be invalid when other valid choices exist?
I've captured a screenshot and sysdiagnose from this case. In most cases this problem happens only intermittently, but I can reproduce it consistently by disconnecting my iPhone from any WiFi network (WiFi remains enabled).
My suggestion for a better user experience is that this UI should select the default network according to these rules:
The network to which iPhone is currently connected.
Any network which is in the known/my list for this iPhone
Any valid network
I believe rule #1 is the existing behavior, but applying rules #2 and #3 as fallbacks would be an improvement.
Is there anything I can change in my iOS code or in my accessory's WAC server to improve this experience?
I work for a large medical device company.
We have a 1st party BLE enabled medical device that must be very battery efficient. To this end, if a connection is lost, the BLE radio is powered down after 60 seconds and will only turn back on when a physical button on the device is pressed.
I've been tasked with connecting to the device, staying connected to the device, and being able to retrieve data from the device upon a timed action. For instance, this could include a data read and transmission while they sleep. The key part of this is staying reliably connected for extended periods of time.
This is a BYOD setup, and we cannot control power profiles.
I would very much appreciate any information, recommendations, and/or insights into solving this problem.
Thanks!
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Processes & Concurrency
Tags:
External Accessory
iOS
Application Services
Core Bluetooth
Hello Apple Developers,
I'm currently working on building a custom HomeKit Accessory using the HomeKit ADK v6.3 and running the Remote.OpenSSL sample on a Raspberry Pi 4 (64-bit Ubuntu / Linux Kernel 6.1.21-v8+). I'm trying to pair the accessory via the MFi HomeKit ADK pairing process.
I've successfully compiled the ADK using:
The application (Remote.OpenSSL) launches correctly, and the accessory server starts as expected, broadcasting via mDNS. However, when I attempt to initiate pairing via iOS (or simulate pairing), the following error occurs:
Fault fatal error - HAPPlatformAccessorySetupLoadSetupInfo @ PAL/Linux/HAPPlatformAccessorySetup.c:93
This causes the application to crash.
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Hardware
Tags:
Developer Tools
External Accessory
HomeKit
AccessorySetupKit
Hi,
we are listed for the MFI program as a licensed manufacturer. We have now started with the IAP3 sample code and the IAP chips to build up a USB communication between our accessory and an iOS device. We are looking for a sample project for the iOS part. Is there some available? The only official I can find is this:
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/samplecode/EADemo/Introduction/Intro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/DTS40010079
This app is somehow outdated and from 2016. Is there something else available as a starting point? And how does this relate to IOKit since it is available for serial communication on iOS16 as well?
Kind regards,
I'm developing a calculator app and working to ensure a great experience for both VoiceOver and Braille display users.
For expressions like (2+3)×5, I need two different accessibility outputs:
VoiceOver (spoken): A descriptive string like “left paren two plus three right paren times five,” provided via .accessibilityValue. I'm using a custom spellOut function since VoiceOver doesn't announce parentheses—which are kind of important when doing math!
Braille (symbolic): The literal math string (2+3)×5, provided using .accessibilityCustomContent("", ...), with an empty label so it’s not spoken aloud.
The issue: I don’t have access to a Braille display device and Xcode’s Accessibility Inspector doesn’t seem to show the custom content.
Is there any way to confirm that custom Braille content is being set correctly in Simulator or with other tools?
Or…is there a "math mode" in VoiceOver that forces it to announce parentheses?
Any advice or workarounds would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Uhl
Topic:
Accessibility & Inclusion
SubTopic:
General
Tags:
External Accessory
iOS
Accessibility
SwiftUI
first post here and this is kinda a long shot. I’m working on a custom keypad project for a young man with some mobility issues that unfortunately prevents gestrue and voice control as UI options.
id like to see if I can pull track metadata via a Bluetooth connection into a custom keyboard with a small screen.
I know hid doesn’t support this but I was hoping maybe the API for iOS’s blueprint remote app could be leveraged.
I haven’t don’t much with Apple previousl. Usually Roku and Crestron implantations but I’m hoping to see if I can accomplish something with Apple, without needing to implement any IP connection.
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Hardware
Tags:
External Accessory
HIDDriverKit
tvOS
Core Bluetooth
Will UVC native support come for the Iphone as well?
So, using external cameras with the ipad is greatly beneficial, but for the iphone, it can make it a production powerhouse!
So, have there been discussions around bringing UVC support for the Iphone as well? and if so, what were your conclusions?
Hi there!
I'm developing a dual-mode bluetooth accessory and would like to pair it through AccessorySetupKit. I'm using an ESP32 with Bluekitchen btstack. This supports CTKD, which seems to be a requirement for the Bluetooth transport bridging according the WWDC19 session 901. I've been in contact with the btstack developer and verified that I can get the device to generate an LTK for the classic transport when reading an encrypted attribute. I'm not able to get this to work with the bluetoothTransportBriding option with AccessorySetupKit though.
What I've found so far is that if I omit the .bluetoothTransportBriding option during pairing I will get a pairing request when I read an encrypted attribute after connecting with the CBConnectPeripheralOptionEnableTransportBridgingKey option. If I accept this request it seems like the system automatically brings up the A2DP profile.
However if I include .bluetoothTransportBriding and/or .bluetoothPairingLE this option does not pop up, but the system does not bring up the A2DP profile. In this case things seem to end up in a weird situation where the device doesn't show up for pairing in Bluetooth Settings either, making it impossible to manually connect for A2DP.
Based on the AccessorySetupKit example from WWDC24 I've created a dice accessory firmware for ESP32 using btstack. The code for this is available here: https://github.com/ljodal/esp32-btstack-ctkd-test
I've also tweaked the AccessorySetupKit example app for iOS to add the ASAccessory.SupportOptions. The code for that is available here: https://github.com/ljodal/accessorysetupkit-ctkd-test
Is there any documentation available anywhere on what is expected of the device for Bluetooth Transport Bridging to work with AccessorySetupKit?
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Hardware
Tags:
External Accessory
Accessories
Core Bluetooth
AccessorySetupKit
I can’t screenshot using assistive touch after i install ios 26 beta 2
We’ve encountered a reproducible issue where the iPhone fails to reconnect to a Wi-Fi access point under the following conditions:
The device is connected to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
A Bluetooth audio accessory is connected (e.g. headset).
AVAudioSession is active (such as during a voice call or when using the Voice Memos app).
The user moves away from the access point, causing a disconnect.
Upon returning within range, the access point is no longer recognized or reconnected while AVAudioSession remains active.
However, if the Bluetooth device is disconnected or the AVAudioSession is deactivated, the Wi-Fi access point is immediately recognized again.
We confirmed this behavior not only in my app but also using Apple's built-in Voice Memos app, suggesting this is not specific to our implementation.
It appears that the Wi-Fi system deprioritizes reconnection while AVAudioSession is engaged. Could this be by design? Or is this a known issue or limitation with Wi-Fi and AVAudioSession interaction?
Test Environment:
Device: iPhone 13 mini
iOS: 17.5.1
Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz band
Accessories: Bluetooth headset
We’d appreciate clarification on whether this is expected behavior or a bug. Thank you!
Our company is developing an MFi headset with a button that we would like to use for initiating PTT.
We can detect the button press and initiate PTT successfully, even when the app is not in the foreground, using the ExternalAccessory framework.
But I wonder if this is a coincidence, or a scenario that should reliably work with Push to Talk?
How do I gain access to the com.apple.developer.nearby-interaction entitlement for third-party accessory use with Qorvo DWM3001CDK? I've read the documentation but it is not available in Xcode Capabilities. What is the approval process?
Topic:
App & System Services
SubTopic:
Core OS
Tags:
Nearby Interaction
External Accessory
Entitlements
Core Bluetooth
Hello everyone,
I’d like to report an issue I’ve encountered when using a Bluetooth mouse together with AssistiveTouch on iPhone running iOS 16.5.
This has also been reported via Feedback Assistant with
Feedback ID: FB17806167
Description:
When using a Bluetooth mouse together with AssistiveTouch on iPhone (iOS), the pointer behaves incorrectly in landscape orientation.
Specifically:
The pointer cannot move past the center of the screen
Horizontal and vertical (X/Y) movements appear to be swapped or misaligned
Natural movement of the pointer is not possible
It seems as if the internal coordinate mapping remains locked in portrait orientation, even when the device is physically rotated to landscape.
This issue occurs system-wide, regardless of the current app. It is observable in Settings, on the Home screen, and in third-party apps.
Steps to Reproduce:
Enable AssistiveTouch
Connect a Bluetooth mouse to the iPhone
Rotate the device to landscape orientation
Try moving the mouse pointer across the screen
→ Notice that:
Pointer cannot move past the center
Horizontal/vertical input is interpreted incorrectly (as if still in portrait)
Expected Behavior:
The mouse pointer should move across the entire screen correctly, regardless of device orientation.
Actual Behavior:
In landscape orientation, the pointer is either restricted to part of the screen or misaligned.
It behaves as if the device is still in portrait.
Horizontal mouse movement causes vertical pointer movement, and vice versa
User experience feels broken and unintuitive
Feature Suggestion:
Please improve the synchronization between physical device orientation and AssistiveTouch pointer mapping on iOS.
I also suggest exposing AssistiveTouch orientation control via a public API, so developers can help maintain consistent pointer behavior.
Thanks in advance for any insights or suggestions.
Best regards,
Jannis
I want to get Cover-Art Image over Bluetooth. From the SDP Discover iPhoneSE, it support Cover-Art Feature.
I connect and config OBEX Channel with L2CAP ERTM, it is successful.
I send connect_request the OBEX Connect, the iPhone always no any response, and l2cap s-frame response from iPhone always failed.
From the Apple Developer, it need Apple Authentication Chip.
Is it still necessary now? Are there any other ways to obtain album pictures?
I have an accessory with MFi authenticaiton passed(got 0xAA05) and identification accepted (got 0x1D02). But when I try to open the target stream by using iAP2 EA session framework, I always enounter the same error looking like:
XPC connection error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service named com.apple.accessories.externalaccessory-server was invalidated from this process." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service named com.apple.accessories.externalaccessory-server was invalidated from this process.}
anybody can tell me what it related with? And what can I do to go through it quickly? Thank you much in advance.
On iOS 18.x when try to create EASession we get nil, but on iOS 17.x everything works.
We have app which use USB cable for connecting external accessories.
Scenario is when we have fresh instal, connecting with accessory work fine, EASession is created, streams are opened.
When we unplug USB, we close streams, remove any reference to session and accessory, remove accessory delegate.
When plug it again, creating EASession is returning nil. Only after restarting iPhone, we can create new EASession with appropriate protocol and accessory. Every next attempt without reseting iPhone is failing.
Logs from accessory is following:
00:05:51.811000 : onUSBDeviceFound(pDevice=0xffc818)) iPhone USB device already in the device list w/id=1 -> update status now[21;1H
00:05:51.830000 : setConnectionStatus(status=connected) [devId=1] state updated -> forward[21;1H
Capabilities indicate HostMode possibility => role switch is triggered
00:05:52.848000 : updateDIPODeviceConnections() iPhoneUSB w/caps=5 (=CarPlay or HostMode), deviceTag=2 in Device mode -> request role switch[21;1H
Role switch seems to be successful
00:05:54.914000 : setSwitching('stable') changed[21;1H
00:05:54.915000 : updateDIPODeviceConnections() iPhoneUSB w/caps=2, id=1, deviceTag=2 and native transport -> request app launch and call connectUSB[21;1H
00:05:54.967000 : ConnectiAP2(05ac:12a8, s/n='00008101000160921E90801E', writeFD='/dev/ffs/ep3', readFD='/dev/ffs/ep4', hostMode){3}[21;1H
Native transport should become available but does not (the following line is not present for failed case. Taken from successful case)
00:05:24.983000 : OnDBusPropChanged_NativeTransport(): deviceId=2, started=1, iAP2iOSAppIdentifier=1, sinkEndpoint=3, sourceEndpoint=4, TransactionID=1
EAP Start event not received (trace line from success try)
00:05:25.057000 : EAPSessionStart(ctx=0x74e0b800){2} called[21;1H
Is there any braking change on iOS 18 considering EASession?
Also what is strange is that it works on fresh instal/restart iPhone, but not working on second attempt?
Hi everyone,
I'm a first time app developer and have been going through the App Store review process for a project I’ve been working on—AquaGUIDE, an accessibility-focused app that pairs with a custom BLE-enabled swim cap designed to help visually impaired swimmers navigate independently.
The swim cap device and app have been thoroughly tested and work well together, but I’ve run into challenges getting the app approved, and I’m hoping others might have experience or insight to share.
Key Features That May Be Tripping Up Review:
Automatic BLE pairing with the cap when in range (connectivity not needed when user is in mid swim)
Frequent connect/disconnect cycles in a single session (this is intentional and expected in open water)
Auto sending a swim summary over BLE once reconnected, if one exists (won't exist if swim is not yet complete or is canceled due to emergency triggered)
The app doesn't send data externally or to the cloud, everything stays local between the phone and the cap.
So far, App Review hasn't explicitly rejected for these reasons, but the review team has been confused or inconsistent in their feedback, and I suspect these technical behaviors might be the cause. I want to stay compliant but also preserve the accessibility-first workflow of the device (automatic syncing rather than button or prompt).
What I'm Looking For:
Has anyone had success getting accessibility-focused apps with external BLE hardware through review?
How have you framed automatic pairing or background syncing in a way that Apple accepts?
Are there specific guidelines or Apple documentation I can point to for support?
Should I consider requesting a review call or filing an appeal?
Any guidance, lessons learned, or similar examples would be deeply appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
Topic:
App Store Distribution & Marketing
SubTopic:
App Review
Tags:
External Accessory
App Review
Accessibility