One of the prime reasons why Apple-sanctioned Lightning accessories, cables and adapters have been so pricey are high costs and allegedly exorbitant fees attached to the company’s ‘Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod’ (MFi) program. Established in 2005, the MFi initiative requires third-parties to use Apple-approved authentication chips and certified cables and adhere to Apple’s rigorous testing.
All of the products that pass testing bear an Apple-approved ‘Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad’ label. By lowering the program fees, Apple has enabled vendors to produce cheaper Lightning cables, adapters and other accessories for the iPhone and iPad…
The Japanese blog Macotakara reported Friday that the licensing costs reduction not only applies to Lightning cables, but to other MFi accessories as well.
Though the exact amount of the cost reduction was unknown at press time, Macotakara suggested it should pave the way to more affordable accessories.
As these changes take time to trickle down to all of the suppliers and vendors, the effects in the form of cheaper accessories should be expected in the coming weeks.
AppleInsider says that MFi originally used to charge fees “rumored to have been in the realm of $10 per device, or 10 percent of the total retail cost of the accessory — whichever was greater,” though the fees got reduced over the years.
High royalties are also said to plague MFi iOS game controllers.
After initially launching their respective game controllers at $100 only to see them universally panned as overpriced, both Logitech and Stratus slashed their price points in an effort to revitalize sluggish sales.