Does it seem like there are fewer Lightning-compatible accessories for your iPhone than there were back when Apple was using the 30-pin connector? That's probably an accurate perception, given how Apple has tightened up its control of its MFi Program, which the company uses to license the use of its connectors to third-party accessory makers. In a post to the New York Times Bits blog, Brian X. Chen highlights how Apple can see which accessories have been authorized and which ones haven't using unique serial numbers on their authentication chips.
Battery pack maker Mophie gave insight into the process: when companies sign up for the MFi program and begin designing a product, they must order a Lightning component directly from Apple. "The connectors have serial numbers for each accessory maker, and they contain authentication chips that communicate with the phones. When the company submits its accessory to Apple for testing, Apple can recognize the serial number," wrote Chen.
Mophie VP of marketing Ross Howe pointed out another party could take apart a Lightning-compatible Mophie pack and put the connector in another product, which Apple would be able to see came from Mophie's batch. If the chip were to be reverse engineered—which is possible, but not great, according to Howe—the unauthorized accessory maker wouldn't have an Apple-issued serial number like Mophie's. As such, Apple could block unauthorized accessories from working with the iPhone or iPad by issuing a software update, though to our knowledge, it has yet to do so.
The revelation isn't shocking—when Apple first introduced the Lightning connector late last year, news spread quickly that there was indeed an authentication chip buried inside. The chip was allegedly "cracked" by Chinese manufacturers soon thereafter, but the accessories (legit or otherwise) have still been slow to come to market.
This was apparently not the case with the old 30-pin connectors—undoubtedly one of the many reasons Apple chose to replace it with the new Lightning connector. Apple also argues the new connector allows for slimmer devices and a better overall design, though users with years' worth of 30-pin accessories are still feeling the sting after being forced to pay for new cables and converters.
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