Author Topic: Apple Bluetooth  (Read 1552 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline hamdi.tnTopic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 623
  • Country: tn
Apple Bluetooth
« on: February 21, 2018, 10:12:42 am »
Hi everyone,

Quick question about Apple bluetooth co-processor that need to be integrated in any commercial hardware compatible with apple.
i looked around and am kind of lost, does this co-processor concern BLE communication only Bluetooth 2.0 too.

if my hardware will use only Bluetooth 2.0 profiles to communicate do i need this co-processor ?

Thanks.
 

Offline Wilksey

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1329
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2018, 11:46:09 am »
I believe that it only applies to BT Classic, and that WiFi and BTLE are not required to have this security processor.

I have only done stuff for Android, but looking into iOS - just in case we needed to break into the Apple domain (thankfully not) - it seems LE is OK without the secondary processor.

The only thing I didn't conclude on, if it makes a difference to you, is their MAC hopping in discovery, i.e. the MAC address changes whilst in discovery mode to stop tracking, I am not 100% sure what peripherals this applies to, but is present on the newer iOSes.
 

Offline hamdi.tnTopic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 623
  • Country: tn
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2018, 11:47:02 am »
Thanks Wilksey,

According to Homekit Accessory protocol documentation we have to add this coprocessor as well for BLE.
Manufacturer for classic BT (Microchip or ST) indicate that it's required as well that's for sure.
So apparently any hardware using Bluetooth to communicate with Apple stuff will require a co-processor.

Hamdi
 

Offline kripton2035

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2572
  • Country: fr
    • kripton2035 schematics repository
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2018, 01:07:25 pm »
seems that cypress bluetooth boards are ok with apple devices
 

Offline Jeroen3

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4067
  • Country: nl
  • Embedded Engineer
    • jeroen3.nl
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2018, 01:13:18 pm »
https://developer.apple.com/support/homekit-accessory-protocol/

If I understand this correctly, the it's solely an Authentication Coprocessor , which means it only does cryptographics for authenitication that your product is MFI.
 

Offline Wilksey

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1329
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2018, 01:41:39 pm »
Are you sure you need the co-pro for LE?

Everything I have seen states that BT Classic requires the MFI chip, but any LE profile does not.

I have an NRF52 dev kit that works with Apple iPhones, and that doesn't have any extra chips.

You can look here, not sure if it'll tell you anything useful: https://mfi.apple.com/MFiWeb/getFAQ.action#4-2

It does state that a few BT classic protocols do not require the MFI auth processor, but most do, like the RFCOMM (BT Serial), but LE does not.

I've only ever used that one chip with Apple, not owning anything Apple I can't really test, I believe Lairds bt600 LE modules also work with Apple OOTB.
 

Offline hamdi.tnTopic starter

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 623
  • Country: tn
Re: Apple Bluetooth
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2018, 04:10:05 pm »
You can use BLE without adding the coprocessor, it work. but only in non-commercial application.

https://developer.apple.com/support/homekit-accessory-protocol/
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf