MFi certification is actually not all that new. The program was introduced way back in 2005 along with the iPod. Anyone still remember those? Anyway, it has only been since the introduction of the lightning connector that the name has officially changed to “MFi”, which is what everyone calls it now.

It’s the introduction of the “lightning” type of connector that really is important here. Since the introduction of this neat little connector with its high-speed data transfer, Apple has been able to detect if something you plug into it has been certified by them. Basically, if you use a non-certified cable your iPad can refuse to work with it, even if the cable itself is fine.

This isn’t new either, it’s been this way since iOS 7. What’s strange though is that some non-certified cables work just fine. It seems that some manufacturers have managed to circumvent the issue, although this is unreliable. After a software update you may find your cable suddenly doesn’t work anymore. Or maybe it really doesn’t work anymore just because it’s not a great quality item. Usually it’s not simple to immediately tell which is the case.

The fact is that MFi certification is not just a cash grab by Apple, although I’m not saying it isn’t at least in part motivated by money – it is a business after all. When it comes to non-certified cables and accessories, it’s basically impossible for you to know the providence of that product. It could be a perfectly good charger or cable that will do your iPad no harm, or it could slowly kill your battery and by extension your iPad. Some really cheap knockoff chargers don’t have the right safety circuitry and can really mess up your device. There have been reports of the charge controlling chip inside some iPhones getting damaged, essentially making it impossible to charge the device. If you insist on using a non-certified charger then at least make sure it’s a reputable brand. For example, the charger from a Samsung smartphone would be perfectly safe.