How to launch an iphone app when an external accessory is either paired over BT or plugged into dock connector

iphone bluetooth external autostart accessory
andy k picture andy k · Apr 20, 2011 · Viewed 7.2k times · Source

I have researched this to death online and cannot find anything regarding auto launching an iphone app when an external accessory is either paired using BT or plugged into the dock connector.

We are an MFi developer with a BT accessory and application that we would like to launch when paired. We have the Info.plist containing our protocols and the device containing the correct protocol all working and communicating. The application works well with our BT device, however I would like to see the app launch when paired.

I have seen this before with accessories plugged into the connector and would live to know how that is accomplished.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/5772611/ces_2011_withings/

Check at 3:15 in the video.

Does iPhone just have that ability for dock connected items to auto start?

I know that the External Accessory framework registers the protocol with the iPhone when the app is installed. This is how the iPhone/iPod knows to take you to the apple store when you connect a BT (or connector) device and you don't have an app for your connected devices protocol.

I don't understand why the app does not launch when paired, I would think this would be a no brainer. Can someone please shed some light on this topic. The best I found is from Apples docs:

Applications that are able to communicate with an external accessory should declare the ?protocols they support in their Info.plist file. Declaring support for specific protocols lets the system know that your application can be launched when that accessory is connected. If no application supports the connected accessory, the system may choose to launch the App Store and point out applications that do."

I cannot understand the meaning by "may choose to launch", does this mean is also chooses to launch? Please help.

Answer

Tim Bowen picture Tim Bowen · May 20, 2011

The manufacturer of the device needs to include support for this feature at the firmware level. The details of this process are currently confidential by way of the MFi (Made For iPhone/iPod) non disclosure agreement, so unfortunately that is all the detail I can provide. Good luck!

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