Apple to Require 'Made for iPhone' Program Accessory Manufacturers to Meet Supplier Responsibility Code

[MacRumors]

As we noted several weeks ago, Apple scheduled a meeting with members of its Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad (MFi) program for November 7-8 in Shenzhen, China to brief them on the latest developments with the new Lightning connector standard. With Apple having moved rather slowly to bring accessory manufacturers up to speed, Lightning-equipped accessories have been slow to appear and it was not until this week that the first official Lightning products were even announced.

TUAW now reports on a few details that have leaked out of the meeting, including the fact that the Lightning connector is waterproof and that all MFi accessory manufacturers must agree to abide by Apple's supplier responsibility code.

[D]uring the meeting this week a few interesting tidbits have made their way to us through the Great Firewall. Most are trivial (did not know: the Lightning connector is waterproof!) but one big one is not. According to our source at the event, Apple intends to make compliance with its supplier code of conduct a condition of MFi licensing. [...]

Pushing it out to the larger accessory ecosystem would be a concrete example of Apple using its 800-pound-gorilla status in the consumer electronics space to influence more companies to behave ethically on worker rights, environmental issues and more.

The report notes that details on requirements for adherence to the code and potential penalties are not yet known, and speculates that U.S.-based accessory companies may have an advantage in compliance with stricter controls already in place.

Article Link: Apple to Require 'Made for iPhone' Program Accessory Manufacturers to Meet Supplier Responsibility Code

[bocomo]

Apple only gets bashed by the media

Slim chance of this code of conduct bit making headlines

Or it will get spun as a "closed" system or Apple being control freaks

[gmanist1000]

It's waterproof? That's pretty cool.

[NinjaHERO]

Good for them for trying to make things better.

[Dave-Z]

Originally Posted by MacRumors

all MFi accessory manufacturers must agree to abide by Apple's supplier responsibility code.

Good.

[jasheeky]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

It's waterproof? That's pretty cool.

Yeah that is cool. I've killed two 30-pin cables in my car by accidentally dropping cable in cup holder..

[Mac Fly (film)]

But… but… Apple is evil?

[nickn]

If they are going to charge massive amounts for lightning accessories, they might as well put in a requirement that products must be made in the US. OSHA would take care of the rest, employees would be getting a decent wage, and our economy wouldn't suck as much.

[mightyneek]

This is really good news.

[nagromme]

Originally Posted by nickn

If they are going to charge massive amounts for lightning accessories, they might as well put in a requirement that products must be made in the US. OSHA would take care of the rest, employees would be getting a decent wage, and our economy wouldn't suck as much.

This is about third-party accessories, not Apple’s own.

(And not ALL accessories—just ones that one the Made for iPhone logo as a stamp of approval from Apple.)

[bleaknik]

Originally Posted by nickn

If they are going to charge massive amounts for lightning accessories, they might as well put in a requirement that products must be made in the US. OSHA would take care of the rest, employees would be getting a decent wage, and our economy wouldn't suck as much.

I have hoped that a company like Apple would bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States for a long time, but it gets complicated. First, even if Apple built stuff here, it wouldn't keep third parties in China from making them and flooding the market here. And we as a population, would probably buy them anyway because they'd inevitably be inexpensive (also, probably cheap).

Second, it's more than wages and available jobs that make it worth building something stateside (though, that's a big part of it). Supply chains of raw materials and component are lacking here--and it's not very cost efficient to ship two very closely related parts across the country to assembly a combined part and/or product.

That said... Apple has the capital. With the right opportunity, they no doubt could make it happen...

[tigres]

I always need my phone to charge underwater.

[ImageWrangler]

My god, they're becoming the new Microsoft!

[apolloa]

It would be nice if Apple was actually capable of ensuring it's OWN devices are capable of meeting a manufacturing responsibility code! Hypocritical much Apple???

[Radio]

Here is what apple was thinking

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[deannnnn]

I will never understand why Apple is trying to solve China's problems when they could just move production to America and help solve our own problems here.

Oh right, they like money.

[avanpelt]

Apple just needs to get this third-party stuff ironed out as quickly as possible. It's nearly two months after the iPhone 5's release; and having no legit (not cheap Chinese knock-off) "Made for iPhone 5" accessories available from third parties is a joke.

[Dwalls90]

Okay.

My USB / 30 pin cable went through the wash and still worked

So who cares if Thunder is "waterproof". My phone isn't, so is this a big deal or am I missing something?

[PsudoPowerPoint]

As a stockholder I think that IS a good use of money I invested.

[coolfactor]

Originally Posted by Radio

Here is what apple was thinking

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

By making it _harder_ for companies to make compliant products? I would say its more about raising the bar of quality and economic benefit. Sure, more costly at the consumer end, but more requirements filters out some of the junky products that fill store shelves. That can't be a bad thing.

[Worldinmii]

Originally Posted by bocomo

Apple only gets bashed by the media

Slim chance of this code of conduct bit making headlines

Or it will get spun as a "closed" system or Apple being control freaks

Sadly, I'm pretty sure you are right! This will get spun somehow by media and the haters as Apple forcing others to do what they want!

[coolfactor]

Originally Posted by Dwalls90

Okay.

My USB / 30 pin cable went through the wash and still worked

So who cares if Thunder is "waterproof". My phone isn't, so is this a big deal or am I missing something?

Waterproof also means that moisture (and sweat?) won't collect inside the part and slowly degrade its performance over time. It also means that accidental electrical shorts are minimized.

[jinnj]

Originally Posted by apolloa

It would be nice if Apple was actually capable of ensuring it's OWN devices are capable of meeting a manufacturing responsibility code! Hypocritical much Apple???

If you ever read anything but headlines you would know that the Apple pays more for their manufacturer's employees than the other companies.

----------

Originally Posted by bleaknik

Second, it's more than wages and available jobs that make it worth building something stateside (though, that's a big part of it). Supply chains of raw materials and component are lacking here--and it's not very cost efficient to ship two very closely related parts across the country to assembly a combined part and/or product.

It's more than that as well. If you've read the articles on the Tech Summit Obama had which included Jobs it's about technical level education and amount of employees needed. In China, you can have a workforce of 30,000 with a vocational school education in less that 2 weeks. That is impossible anywhere in the US. It is possible overall but not in one area.

[hobo.hopkins]

Originally Posted by deannnnn

I will never understand why Apple is trying to solve China's problems when they could just move production to America and help solve our own problems here.

Oh right, they like money.

That's right. How dare a business like money? They should just close and give all of their money to charity; that would certainly help the United States, right?

[melendezest]

Originally Posted by Mac Fly (film)

But… but… Apple is evil?

Hahaha..Hmm, wouldn't be the only time I've danced with the Devil...

----------

Originally Posted by nickn

If they are going to charge massive amounts for lightning accessories, they might as well put in a requirement that products must be made in the US. OSHA would take care of the rest, employees would be getting a decent wage, and our economy wouldn't suck as much.

Sorry, I'd love to see that, but we need to let that notion go.

Not going to happen. Economics 101.