The External Accessory framework is designed to allow iOS applications to communicate only with hardware accessories that are developed under Apple’s MFi licensee program. MFi compliant accessories can be implemented as wired devices or as wireless devices using Bluetooth as the communication channel. Either way, an application that uses the External Accessory framework will not be notified of an accessory’s presence unless the accessory identifies itself as being MFi compliant (was specifically designed to interface with an iOS application).
