Diehl Controls is MFi-certified manufacturer for the networked Apple world

Diehl Controls has successfully certified for Apple’s MFi program (Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad). This enables Diehl Controls to produce networked IoT solutions (Internet of Things) for the world of Apple HomeKit to control heating systems, heat pumps or household appliances remotely.

Diehl Controls

Diehl Controls has successfully certified for Apple’s MFi program (Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad). This enables Diehl Controls to produce networked IoT solutions (Internet of Things) for the world of Apple HomeKit to control heating systems, heat pumps or household appliances remotely.

HomeKit opens door to IoT
HomeKit is the IoT-based interface for iPhone and iPad to control networked home appliances - whether via app or Siri voice command. A prerequisite for safe and reliable use of the Apple Home App is that the IoT solution is certified for household appliances such as heating, blinds or lighting. For this purpose, Apple established the MFi program which stands for "Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad". This standard protects consumers from counterfeit applications and resulting damage of devices. For example, HomeKit products are equipped with an encryption coprocessor guaranteeing reliable authentication.

Diehl Controls is one of few manufacturers
Diehl Controls has recently successfully passed the Mfi audit and is listed as official manufacturer for HomeKit-compatible accessories from now on. This grants the company access to a framework of hardware and software as well as documentation, technical support and MFi logos. As a manufacturer, Diehl Controls is allowed to integrate the Apple chip into IoT solutions and to manufacture corresponding components exclusively for its customers. The obstacle for the MFi certification is high: Apple requires its partners to provide comprehensive traceability for the products they produce. In addition to the manufacturing processes, the financial stability of the company also plays an important role. With the MFi certification Diehl Controls reaches another important milestone on the way to becoming a fully digital production company. A path that Diehl Controls has already begun very successfully in 2015 with the "Factory of the Year" award from A.T. Kearney.

First projects as a manufacturer have started
Diehl Controls is already realizing a first MFi project and manufactures for a customer in the field of heating technology with an Apple chip. This chip will be part of an Internet module which can be used to control an entire heating system via network cable or WLAN. Thanks to the MFi standard, mobile Apple devices will become customer-specific IoT gateways for ventilation, heat pumps and other household appliances that users will simply add to their own home app via QR code or numerical code. HomeKit has been an integral part of Apple's mobile operating systems since 2014 and recently also on the Mac.

"Currently, the demand for IoT solutions for iPhone and iPad is growing rapidly but there are still only few companies in Germany that have the Mfi audit as a manufacturer," says Werner Kaps, Senior Manager IoT & Connectivity at Diehl Controls at Diehl Controls. "Therefore, we at Diehl Controls see ourselves in an excellent position to support our customers individually and efficiently in the production of HomeKit-based products with the Apple chip".