Apple Grants Developers Advantage Electronic Product Development the “Made For i” (MFi) License

Advantage is pleased to announce that they have been granted Apple’s MFi developer’s & contract manufacturing license allowing them to develop and build products utilizing Apple platforms including accessories that connect to the “i” family of products. For quality assurance purposes, Apple keeps a very tight rein on what it allows to interact with and leverage the infrastructure of its iPod, iPhone and iPad product line. Plain & simple, hardware developers and/or manufacturers must have an official license from Apple to design or build anything that utilizes their products directly or as adjunct technology.
Licensed hardware developers gain access to Apple certified components, technical documentation and Apple provides compatibility labs to assist in product development and testing. The rules for products that use Apple’s platform are strict and developers receive technical specifications describing the communication protocols used to interact with iPod, iPhone, and iPad. When these electronic products pass Apple’s strict testing and review, a developer and/or manufacturer earns the right to use Apple’s certificated logos on these products. The iOS license allows for the development of software applications which must be written and compiled specifically for iOS and the ARM architecture.
Advantage obtained the distinction of being licensed to develop, design and build products using the latest Apple technology with the development of an intuitive new medical device. The license is expected to contribute to broadening capabilities of the products developed and built by Advantage in the very near future. In addition to the current application, the firm already has two more high-end instrumentation products under development, utilizing the world’s most advanced mobile platform including one in the field of energy efficiency.
For the release of its first Apple-licensed product, Advantage plans to leverage the Apple iPhone infrastructure to manage sophisticated sensing elements utilized in a highly anticipated medical device, which is a patented, disruptive technology in the field of prosthetics. The system unites advanced embedded microprocessor technology and features the ability to capture real-time analytical information and relay it to clinicians who then monitor and make decisions as to the patient’s care … an ability never before possible.
Advantage president and CEO Jody Singleton states The Apple iPhone/iPod iTouch/iPad platform is a real force shaping technology today. Leveraging it offers an extraordinary way to implement sophisticated technology, shorten development time and add a real wow factor” to a product. We sought this license because it gives Advantage greater flexibility, which expands our options when we are creating innovative electronic products for our clients. We anticipate that the MFi & iOS licenses will serve as a bridge to enhance our product development capabilities and is a natural next step for our manufacturing capability.”