Raytac Jointed Apple HomeKit MFi Program

Standing on marketing perspective point of view, iPhone user are often been viewed as a higher contribution margin group. Not only talking about consumer behavior, but also the motivation looking for device integrated with their own iOS devices.
That explains why HomeKit devices recently has been widely spreading out in Apple stores or shops.

Wireless technology, says Bluetooth or WiFi, is the key role to connect between devices for Apple HomeKit implements. Surely, Bluetooth is more applicable than WiFi, not only easier to connect to iOS devices but also much lower power consumption and higher security level to rich consumer's experience.

Raytac has been devoting to Bluetooth Low Energy module development for several years, started from BT4.0 to the latest. Raytac modules has selected Nordic's solution, which is a highly optimized solution running HomeKit Accessory Protocol (HAP) and application firmware. The ultra-low power even enhance the design and usability for HomeKit devices implements.

After MFi Licenses program jointed, Nordic nRF5 HomeKit SDK is capable to access, Raytac expects to escalate the support ability in terms of hardware and firmware aspects for all customers who are interested in Apple HomeKit implements.

Raytac nRF52840 & nRF52833 Modules

Raytac Corporation 勁達國際電子有限公司

A BT5.1 & BT5 & BT 4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF52 & nRF51 solution 

(nRF52840 & nRF52833 & nRF52832 & nRF52810 & nRF52811 & nRF51822)

www.raytac.com          email: cs@raytac.com          Tel: +886.2.3234.0208

Nordic nRF For HomeKit

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 & BT4.2 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 solution 
(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF51802)
www.raytac.com
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com


Nordic recently have released several tools to create a quick breakthrough to Apple iOS HomeKit application.

These nRF51 Homekit SDK provide developers with a unique solution for HomeKit products that meets all requirements on size, power consumption and performance.
It enables the implementations, running HomeKit accessory Protocol (HAP) and application firmware. Nordic designed ultra-low power SoCs is the ideal solution for battery powered HomeKit products.

For reader's refer, Raytac summarized all detail in below link

HomeKit SDK Link
https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Bluetooth-Smart-Bluetooth-low-energy/nRF51-HomeKit-SDK

nRF HomeKit App now is available to be downloaded in App Store

https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/nRFready-Demo-Apps/nRF-For-HomeKit

Apple iBeacons Find Their Way Into McDonald's

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 solution (nRF51822 & nRF51422)
www.raytac.com
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: service@raytac.com

Quoted from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/aarontilley/2014/12/18/mcdonalds-ibeacon

iBeacons are small, low-power Bluetooth devices, licensed by Apple, that stick to walls or sit on objects and interact with iPhones and iPads.  One of their main uses so far has been to help retailers and other merchants establish greater intimacy with customers who are willing to identify themselves in a store.  iBeacons are a marquee example of the burgeoning Internet of Things (IoT).

Ever since iBeacon made its debut on the iPhone in 2013, it’s been heralded as the next big thing for retailers. Using the Bluetooth low energy radio on your smartphone, iBeacon technology can track your location within a few feet of where you are and push you special deals and advertisements onto your phone as you pass by stores. But so far, we’ve yet to see much uptake with retailers.

It looks like McDonald's is taking the plunge. 26 McDonald’s franchises in Columbus, Georgia have been testing out the technology with its customers. In a four week trial, these fast food joints have been pushing special deals for McChicken Sandwiches and 10-piece Chicken McNuggets. The promotions pushed McChicken Sandwich sales up 8 percent and Chicken McNuggets up 7.5 percent.

“In the fast food world, these are big numbers,” said Robert Hanczor, the CEO of San Diego-based iBeacon startup Piper, which made the app for McDonald’s to send the promotions. “They saw significant statistical change in consumer behavior.”

Based on these initial results, Piper is working on rolling out iBeacon programs to other McDonald’s franchises in the southeast for an additional 263 retail locations.

“Consumers won’t know these small radio devices are responsibly for the content they’re receiving,” said Hanczor, “but they’ll appreciate retailers are connecting with them with relevant information they can act upon.”

BLE (BT4.0) Market Trend

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.1 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 solution (nRF51822 & nRF51422)
www.raytac.com
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208
email: sales@raytac.com

Here, we would like to provide the market survey data for all our reader's reference.

                                                   BLE Device Market Size

BLE VS WiFi VS 802.15.4

BLE Device Increase Rate

BT4.0 Products For MFi Program

Raytac Corporation 勁達國際電子有限公司

A BT5 & BT 4.2 & BTv4.1 module maker based on Nordic nRF51 & nRF52 solution 

(nRF51822 & nRF51422 & nRF52832 & nRF52810 & nRF52840)

www.raytac.com          email: cs@raytac.com          Tel: +886.2.3234.0208

As the leading BLE(BT4.0) module maker, we often recieved the customer's request to have the module join MFi Program.

Per  Apple's explanation, a device using only Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) / BTLE / Bluetooth 4.0 or standard Bluetooth profiles is no need to join the MFi Program.

Customers' products, which aimed to connect to an Apple device (iPad & iPhone), based on Raytac's BT4.0 modules does not need to join MFi Program


 Reference data from:
 https://mfi.apple.com/MFiWeb/getFAQ.action#1-1

I want to develop an accessory that communicates with an Apple device using only Bluetooth Low Energy. Do I need to join the MFi Program?

No. Accessories which connect to an Apple device using only Bluetooth Low Energy/BTLE/Bluetooth 4.0 or standard Bluetooth profiles supported by iOS are not part of the MFi Program.

What types of accessories and technologies are not part of the MFi Program?

Accessories that do not use any of the MFi licensed technology listed above are not part of the MFi Program. For example:

• Accessories that use only standard Bluetooth profiles supported by iOS
• Accessories that use only Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) (note: BTLE-enabled HomeKit accessories and BTLE-enabled MFi Hearing Aids are part of the MFi Program)
• Accessories that connect to an Apple device through the headphone jack and do not use any MFi licensed technology
• Non-electronic cases

The First iOS Presenter App "BLE SlideShow" released! Enjoy the perfect remote scrolling experience in your iPad/iPhone!

Raytac Corporation
A BT4.0 module maker based on Nordic nRF51822 solution
www.raytac.com
Tel: +886.2.3234.0208

In order to satisfy the needs of more and more consumers using iPad or iPhone to performance the presentation, Raytac used the advanced BT4.0 module to build up the presenter which can work for iPad and iPhone for scrolling function.
Thus, as long as consumer is holding a presenter produced from Raytac can enjoy a perfect presentation experience through difference system, Windows/Mac/iOS by RF or BT4.0 Mode.

The App named as "BLE SlideShow" listed in app store for iPad and iPhone 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ble-slideshow/id790306394?mt=8

Apple iBeacon VS. Android NFC

Quote http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/info/2013-09/15/c_132721362.htm

什麼是iBeacon技術？

　　通過使用低功耗藍牙技術（Bluetooth Low Energy，也就是通常所說的Bluetooth 4.0或者Bluetooth Smart），iBeacon基站可以創建一個信號區域，當設備進入該區域時，相應的應用程序便會提示用戶是否需要接入這個信號網路。通過能夠放置在任何物體中的小型無線傳感器和低功耗藍牙技術，用戶便能使用iPhone來傳輸數據

舉個例子，假如你帶著一部iPhone 5s（運行iOS 7並支持iBeacon）走入一家大型商場的店鋪，同時這也意味著你已經進入了這家店鋪的iBeacon信號區域。然後iBeacon基站便可以向你的iPhone傳輸各種訊息，比如優惠券或者是店內導航信息，甚至當你走到某些櫃臺前面時，iBeacon還會提供個性化的商品推薦信息。也就是說在iBeacon基站的信息區域內，用戶通過手中的智慧手機便能夠獲取個性化的微型位置信息以及通知。

　　結合上面的例子不難看出iBeacon能夠為用戶提供他們所需要的信息，甚至和NFC技術一樣，用戶也能通過iBeacon來完成支付。除此之外，每個iBeacon基站內置有加速度計、閃存、ARM架構處理器以及藍牙模塊，而一小塊紐扣電池便能為一個iBeacon基站提供長達兩年的續航時間。

為什麼iBeacon會成為NFC殺手？

　　從技術角度講，更廣的信息傳輸范圍是iBeacon相比于NFC最大的優勢。對于如今的NFC技術，雖然NFC標簽的價格要比NFC芯片便宜得多，但是NFC標簽的理論有效距離只有20cm，而最理想的使用距離只有4cm，範圍可謂非常之小。同時，手機等移動設備必須搭載NFC芯片才能支持NFC通訊。此外，雖然iBeacon基站要比NFC芯片的價格稍微昂貴一些，但是iBeacon的信息傳輸距離可達50m左右，而且如今幾乎每部手機都支持藍牙技術，但卻不一定配備有NFC芯片。

為什麼使用iBeacon的成本並不昂貴？

　　讓我們回到前面的那個例子中去，假設一家店鋪的面積為16000平方米左右，而如果每個iBeacon基站的最遠傳輸距離為50m的話，那麼可以覆蓋的面積大約在2500平方米左右，因此這家店鋪只需要購買7個iBeacon基站便能夠滿足要求。

Android ：專注于NFC技術

　　相比于蘋果來說，安卓似乎更專注于NFC技術。而在使用藍牙技術方面，由于在Android 4.3以前Android係統並不支持低功耗藍牙技術，因此很多需要使用該技術的應用程序無法推出Android版本。而在一些OEM廠商的建議下，安卓終于意識到了這個問題，並最終在Android 4.3中加入了對低功耗藍牙技術的支持。相比之下早在Android 4.0就已經支持NFC技術了。

Apple 的做法：專注于藍牙技術

　在每次新款iPhone發布之前，外界都有人預測新款iPhone將會搭載NFC技術，不過事實證明這都只是外界一廂情願的想法罷了。在iOS 7中，蘋果增加了AirDrop無線分享功能，而Craig Federighi認為“沒有必要為了分享文件而走到某個人的面前，然後僅僅是為了觸碰一下手機”，而這也是蘋果對于NFC技術的看法。

將有一係列新應用誕生？

　　從iBeacon的特點來說，該技術很可能會促進一係列室內地圖應用的誕生。由于在室內時，有各種障礙物的阻擋，因此GPS信號非常微弱，因此無法實現導航。這也是為什麼雖然谷歌現在已經建立了部分地區的室內地圖，但是還無法實現室內導航的原因。而這也正是iBeacon技術的優勢所在。

　　借助智能手機，用戶可以連接到最近的iBeacon基站，從而獲得該基站的GPS位置信息，從而知道目前所處的地點。當用戶進入或離開某個iBeacon基站的通信范圍時都會收到相應的通知信息，從而實現導航的目的。

低功耗藍牙技術才是將網絡帶進現實的最好方法

　　為了讓網絡與現實世界結合到一起，各種傳感器的起到了非常重要的作用。對于一個傳感器來說，尺寸、價格、網絡連接性都是很關鍵的指標。如果能夠遠程遙控各種傳感器的話，那麼傳感器的用途可以說是無窮無盡的。比如在回家的路上開啟家中的電源，根據天氣控制冰箱的溫度，通過手機控制房間的燈光等等。Estimote表示他們正在努力改進iBeacon基站以進一步縮減價格和體積，從而使iBeacon更加實用。

　　既然蘋果能夠通過使用低功耗藍牙技術的iBeacon來解決數據的短距離傳輸問題，那麼又有什麼理由讓人們互相觸碰手機呢？而且相比于NFC技術來說，藍牙能夠提供NFC無法實現的功能。