How to use External Accessory Framework without having a protocol from the MFi program

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Created Jun ’18

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Hi, in my company we are planning to create a external device that will connect to the iPhone through the lightning port. This device will use a custom protocol. The device is already working when you conect it via USB to a Mac.

We know we have to apply to the MFi program but in the meantime, is there any way to use the current external device with a development account and just for testing porpuses. We will like to use it in a initial phase, mesure efficent and building anything for the future release when we are in the MFi program.

I know I can use the EADemo, but this project won't show any device if we don't provide its protocol ( which we don't have because we haven't applied to the MFi yet ).

For the same reason, we can't set up the External Accessory Framework in a test project without having a protocol:

Applications that support external accessories must be sure to configure their

Info.plist

file correctly. Specifically, you must include the

UISupportedExternalAccessoryProtocols

key to declare the specific hardware protocols your application supports

Thanks

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Answer 1

DTS Engineer OP

Apple

Jun ’18

We know we have to apply to the MFi program but in the meantime, is there any way to use the current [accessory] with a development account and just for testing [purposes].

No. But even if there were that wouldn’t help because the accessory needs to speak a specific protocol in order to communicate with the iOS device, and the details of that protocol are only available via MFi.

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