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Delve into the physical components of Apple devices, including processors, memory, storage, and their interaction with the software.

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Alternative to generate programmatically a local hotspot like in Android?
Hello, we are developing hardware that needs to connect to an iPhone via Wi-Fi to send requests to a server. On Android, we have managed to create a programmatic local hotspot within the app to facilitate connection and improve the user experience. On iOS, however, Personal Hotspot must be manually enabled from the system settings, and the user must manually enter the SSID and password, which significantly degrades the UX. My questions are: Is there a workaround, unofficial method, or private API to generate a local hotspot from an app on iOS, similar to what can be done on Android? Is there an alternative within the MFi program or through specific frameworks to facilitate a quick and automatic connection between the hardware and the iPhone without relying on the manual Personal Hotspot? Are there any best practices for improving the local Wi-Fi connection experience between an accessory and an iPhone in the absence of hotspot controls? I would appreciate any guidance, experience, or resources that would help me better understand the feasible options in iOS for scenarios where fast and direct communication between hardware and mobile devices via Wi-Fi is required. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
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91
Oct ’25
Why is CoreNFC unavailable from App Extensions (appex)? Any supported workarounds for authenticators?
Hi everyone — I’m developing an iOS passkey/password manager where the private key material must be stored on a physical device (NFC card / USB token). I’m hitting a hard limitation: CoreNFC is not available for use from app extensions, which prevents an appex (e.g. password/credential provider or other extension) from talking directly to an NFC card during an authentication flow.  My questions: 1. Is there any plan to make CoreNFC (or some limited NFC-API) available to app extensions in a future iOS version? If not, could Apple clarify why (security/entitlements/architecture reasons)? 2. Are there any recommended/approved workarounds for a passkey manager extension that needs to access a physical NFC token during authentication? (For example: background tag reading that launches the containing app, or some entitlement for secure NFC card sessions.) I’ve read about background tag reading, but that seems to be about system/OS handling of tags rather than giving extensions direct NFC access.  3. Is the only supported pattern for my use case to have the containing app perform NFC operations and then share secrets with the extension via App Groups / Keychain Sharing / custom URL flow? (I’m already evaluating App Groups / Keychain access groups for secure sharing, but I’d like official guidance.)  Implementation details that may help responders: • Target: iOS (latest SDK), building a Credential Provider / password manager extension (appex). • Intended physical token: NFC smartcard / ISO7816 contactless (so CoreNFC APIs like NFCISO7816Tag would be ideal). • Security goals: private key never leaves the physical token; extension should be able to trigger/sign during a browser/app AutoFill flow. Possible alternatives I’m considering (open to feedback): designing the UX so that the extension opens the main app (only possible for Today widget in a supported way) which runs the NFC flow and stores/returns a short-lived assertion to the extension. Are any of these patterns sanctioned / recommended by Apple for credential providers?  Thanks — any pointers to docs, entitlement names, or example apps/samples would be extremely helpful.
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123
Oct ’25
Since I updated my iPhone 13 to this new update I have two problems.
Since I updated my iPhone 13 to this new update I have two problems First: the battery discharges too fast or it gets stuck and doesn't discharge until I turn it off and turn it back on. Second: I see in my screen time a page that I had never seen is called imasdk.googleapis.com which I had never occupied and they tell me that it is a failure of the new update I hope you can help me fix that, since this mobile phone is new and already brings the faults by the ios
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118
Oct ’25
CryptoTokenKit: TKSmartCardSlotManager.default is nil on macOS (Designed for iPad) but works on iPadOS and macOS
I have an iOS/iPadOS app and 'm trying to communicate with usb smart card reader using CryptoTokenKit on all platforms (ios/ipados/macos). Minimal Repro Code import CryptoTokenKit import SwiftUI struct ContentView: View { @State var status = "" var body: some View { VStack { Text("Status: \(status)") } .padding() .onAppear { let manager = TKSmartCardSlotManager.default if manager != nil { status = "Initialized" } else { status = "Unsupported" } } } } And my entitlement file has only one key: com.apple.security.smartcard = YES Behavior • iPadOS (on device): status = "Initialized" ✅ • macOS (native macOS app, with the required CryptoTokenKit entitlement): status = "Initialized" ✅ • macOS (Designed for iPad, regardless of CryptoTokenKit entitlement): status = "Unsupported" → TKSmartCardSlotManager.default is nil ❌ Expectation Given that the same iPadOS build initializes TKSmartCardSlotManager, I expected the iPad app running in Designed for iPad mode on Apple silicon Mac to behave the same (or to have a documented limitation). Questions Is CryptoTokenKit (and specifically TKSmartCardSlotManager) supported for iPad apps running on Mac in Designed for iPad mode? If support exists, what entitlements / capabilities are required for USB smart-card access in this configuration? If not supported, is Mac Catalyst the correct/only path on macOS to access USB smart-card readers via CryptoTokenKit? Are there recommended alternatives for iPad apps on Mac (Designed for iPad) to communicate with USB smart-card readers (e.g., ExternalAccessory, DriverKit, etc.), or is this scenario intentionally unsupported? Thanks!
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139
Nov ’25
How to connect to a IOUSBHostInterface
I have poked around the web looking for a good example to do this and I haven't found a working example. I need to connect to a USB Device, its multiple ports and supports what looks to be a root port and 4 other ports I am no expert in USB but I do know how to write a kext and client drivers, but thats really not the way to solve this. I need to display the serialized output from these USB ports for a development board. I would rather do this on my Mac than have to cobble up a Linux machine and mess around with Linux. Here is the output from ioreg MCHP-Debug@03100000 <class IOUSBHostDevice, id 0x105f6fdc2, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (20 ms), retain 27> MCHP-Debug@0 <class IOUSBHostInterface, id 0x105f6fdc8, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (13 ms), retain 5> +-o MCHP-Debug@0 <class IOUSBHostInterface, id 0x105f6fdc8, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (13 ms), retain 5> +-o MCHP-Debug@1 <class IOUSBHostInterface, id 0x105f6fdc9, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (11 ms), retain 5> +-o MCHP-Debug@2 <class IOUSBHostInterface, id 0x105f6fdcb, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (9 ms), retain 5> | | | | | +-o MCHP-Debug@3 <class IOUSBHostInterface, id 0x105f6fdcc, registered, matched, active, busy 0 (7 ms), retain 5> I have been able to open a inservice to the device at the top level, but I get an error when I use. usbHostInterface = [[IOUSBHostInterface alloc] initWithIOService:usbDevice options: IOUSBHostObjectInitOptionsNone queue: queue error: &error interestHandler: handler]; Error:Failed to create IOUSBHostInterface. with reason: Unable to obtain configuration descriptor. Assertion failed: (usbHostInterface), function main, file main.m, line 87. I started using DeviceKit but I received signing errors and I shouldn't have to go down that path just to dump data from a USB port? Any suggestions would be great, most of the Apple documentation on USB ports is like 20 years old and the new stuff pushes you towards DeviceKit.
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138
Dec ’25
ESP32 USB-C to iPhone 16 USB-C communication
Hi everyone, I am seeking clarification regarding the communication capabilities between an ESP32 microcontroller and Apple's latest devices, specifically the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPad Pro, both equipped with USB-C ports. Background: MFi Certification: Historically, establishing communication between external devices and iOS devices required MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad) certification. But I remember this being necessary in the Lightning Cable to USB era. With the introduction of USB-C ports in recent iPhone and iPad models, there is an indication that MFi certification may no longer be necessary for certain peripherals. Perhaps I'm not confident on the terminology here: https://mfi.apple.com/en/who-should-join Project Requirements: I am working on a sensor research project that necessitates the collection of low-latency time-series data from an ESP32 microcontroller, which features a USB-C port. The data needs to be transmitted to an iPhone 16 Pro Max or iPad Pro. Bluetooth communication has proven insufficient due to its limited data transfer rates (~1.2 Mbps with L2CAP). While NEHotspot could be an alternative, it restricts the iPad's internet connectivity. Therefore, establishing a direct USB-C connection between the ESP32 and the iOS device appears to be the most viable solution. Questions: MFi Certification Necessity: Is MFi certification still required for an ESP32 microcontroller to communicate with iPhone 16 Pro Max or iPad Pro via USB-C? USB-C Communication Support: Do the iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPad Pro natively support serial communication over USB-C with microcontrollers like the ESP32? If not, are there recommended protocols or interfaces to facilitate this communication? App Development Considerations: Would developing a custom iOS application be necessary to handle data transmission from the ESP32 over USB-C? If so, are there specific APIs or frameworks provided by Apple to support this functionality? Data Transfer Rates: Considering the need for high-speed data transfer, are there any limitations or considerations regarding the data transfer rates achievable through a USB-C connection between the ESP32 and iOS devices? Thank you!
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1.7k
Jan ’25
iOS requirements for HID over GATT
I am developing a virtual Bluetooth HID keyboard device on my Win desktop that connects to my iPad over bluetooth and advertises itself as a keyboard to control the iPad. It works very well already on Android, but not on iOS. I can see in Packet Logger that it reads well as a HID device, reads the report map and HID information correctly, which data is all valid. It doesn't subscribe to the report's Client Characteristic Configuration, just silently quitting and the keyboard does not work. I can post more information if needed, but my question in short is what are the requirements for iOS to accept a HID over GATT as a keyboard peripheral. I feel like I am close.
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860
Mar ’25
macOS15.3 IOCreatePlugInInterfaceForService returns e00002be.
Background Information In the macOS operating system environment, Program A uses libusb to access USB devices that comply with the USB Mass Storage protocol. To enable Program A to start automatically after macOS boots, its corresponding plist file has been placed in the /Library/LaunchDaemons directory. Problem and Phenomenon Description Program A works well on macOS versions prior to 15.3, and it can access USB devices normally. However, on macOS 15.3, the following abnormal situations have occurred: A. Program A launched by launchd cannot access the USB device. Checking the logs reveals that the IOCreatePlugInInterfaceForService call in the darwin_claim_interface function returns the error code e00002be. B. Program A launched from the terminal command line with sudo privileges can access the USB device normally, and the return value of the IOCreatePlugInInterfaceForService call is 0.
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587
Feb ’25
Error 561145187 - Recording audio from keyboard extension
Hi, as other threads have already discussed, I'd like to record audio from a keyboard extension. The keyboard has been granted both full access and microphone access. Nonetheless whenever I attempt to start a recording from my keyboard, it fails to start with the following error: Recording failed to start: Error Domain=com.apple.coreaudio.avfaudio Code=561145187 "(null)" UserInfo={failed call=err = PerformCommand(*ioNode, kAUStartIO, NULL, 0)} This is the code I am using: import Foundation import AVFoundation protocol AudioRecordingServiceDelegate: AnyObject { func audioRecordingDidStart() func audioRecordingDidStop(withAudioData: Data?) func audioRecordingPermissionDenied() } class AudioRecordingService { weak var delegate: AudioRecordingServiceDelegate? private var audioEngine: AVAudioEngine? private var audioSession: AVAudioSession? private var isRecording = false private var audioData = Data() private let targetFormat = AVAudioFormat(commonFormat: .pcmFormatInt16, sampleRate: 16000, channels: 1, interleaved: false)! private func setupAudioSession() throws { let session = AVAudioSession.sharedInstance() try session.setCategory(.playAndRecord, mode: .spokenAudio, options: [.mixWithOthers, .allowBluetooth, .defaultToSpeaker]) try session.setPreferredIOBufferDuration(0.005) try session.setActive(true, options: .notifyOthersOnDeactivation) audioSession = session } func checkMicrophonePermission(completion: @escaping (Bool) -> Void) { switch AVAudioApplication.shared.recordPermission { case .granted: completion(true) case .denied: delegate?.audioRecordingPermissionDenied() completion(false) case .undetermined: AVAudioApplication.requestRecordPermission { [weak self] granted in if !granted { self?.delegate?.audioRecordingPermissionDenied() } completion(granted) } @unknown default: delegate?.audioRecordingPermissionDenied() completion(false) } } func toggleRecording() { if isRecording { stopRecording() } else { checkMicrophonePermission { [weak self] granted in if granted { self?.startRecording() } } } } private func startRecording() { guard !isRecording else { return } do { try setupAudioSession() audioEngine = AVAudioEngine() guard let engine = audioEngine else { return } let inputNode = engine.inputNode let inputFormat = inputNode.inputFormat(forBus: 0) audioData.removeAll() guard let converter = AVAudioConverter(from: inputFormat, to: targetFormat) else { print("Failed to create audio converter") return } inputNode.installTap(onBus: 0, bufferSize: 1024, format: inputFormat) { [weak self] buffer, _ in guard let self = self else { return } let frameCount = AVAudioFrameCount(Double(buffer.frameLength) * 16000.0 / buffer.format.sampleRate) guard let outputBuffer = AVAudioPCMBuffer(pcmFormat: self.targetFormat, frameCapacity: frameCount) else { return } outputBuffer.frameLength = frameCount var error: NSError? converter.convert(to: outputBuffer, error: &error) { _, outStatus in outStatus.pointee = .haveData return buffer } if error == nil, let channelData = outputBuffer.int16ChannelData { let dataLength = Int(outputBuffer.frameLength) * 2 let data = Data(bytes: channelData.pointee, count: dataLength) self.audioData.append(data) } } engine.prepare() try engine.start() isRecording = true delegate?.audioRecordingDidStart() } catch { print("Recording failed to start: \(error)") stopRecording() } } private func stopRecording() { audioEngine?.inputNode.removeTap(onBus: 0) audioEngine?.stop() isRecording = false let finalData = audioData audioData.removeAll() delegate?.audioRecordingDidStop(withAudioData: finalData) try? audioSession?.setActive(false, options: .notifyOthersOnDeactivation) } deinit { if isRecording { stopRecording() } } } Granting the deprecated "Inter-App Audio" capability did not solve the problem either. Is recording audio from a keyboard extension even possible in general? If so, how do I fix it? Related threads: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/108055 https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/742601
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632
Sep ’25
iOS 18.4 beta update
My iPhone 16 pro max when on the magnetic charger at home or in my car. My phone just powers down and reboots on its own. This has happened several times a day since updating to iOS 18.4. Anyone else having this problem ?
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144
Mar ’25
Mapping issue between physical buttons of the Matter switch and buttons on the Apple App
Hi, We are developing a Matter switch product. The switch contains 4 buttons, and each button supports click, double click, and held actions. Currently, the device can be successfully commissioned with a HomePod mini, and in the Apple Home app, it is displayed as 4 buttons with options for click, double click, and held for each. The only issue is that the order of the 4 buttons in the Home app does not correspond to the endpoint order (endpoint 1–4). For example, the following mapping might occur: endpoint 1 → button 2 endpoint 2 → button 3 ... We found a related issue on the Apple Developer Forums that matches what we're experiencing: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/772367?utm_source=chatgpt.com According to the official response, the problem seems to be caused by insufficient metadata being reported by the device. Could you please provide more specific guidance on what exact information needs to be reported from the device side? We have already tried adding the Fixed Label and User Label clusters to the device, but they don't seem to have any effect. Ideally, we would like the button labels in the Home app add our custom names in the correct order, as below: button 1 (right_button) button 2 (up_button) button 3 (down_button) button 4 (left_button) This would provide a much better user experience. Thank you in advance!
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192
Jul ’25
External Mic (Hollyland Lark M2) Not Working After iOS 26 Update on iPhone 11 Pro Max
I am writing to report an issue I’m facing after updating my iPhone 11 Pro Max to iOS 26. I have been using the Hollyland Lark M2 external microphone via the Lightning port, and it was working perfectly before the update. However, after upgrading to iOS 26, the iPhone no longer detects it correctly. The device now recognizes the mic as a pair of wired earphones, and it fails to capture any audio input. The microphone itself works flawlessly on other devices, so this appears to be an iOS-specific issue. Could you please confirm: • Whether this is a known issue in iOS 26? • If there are any settings or steps I can take to resolve this? • Whether a fix is planned in an upcoming iOS patch? I would appreciate any guidance or solution you can provide. Thank you for your support.
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131
Jul ’25
Example for AccessorySetupKit bluetoothTransportBriding
Hi there! I'm developing a dual-mode bluetooth accessory and would like to pair it through AccessorySetupKit. I'm using an ESP32 with Bluekitchen btstack. This supports CTKD, which seems to be a requirement for the Bluetooth transport bridging according the WWDC19 session 901. I've been in contact with the btstack developer and verified that I can get the device to generate an LTK for the classic transport when reading an encrypted attribute. I'm not able to get this to work with the bluetoothTransportBriding option with AccessorySetupKit though. What I've found so far is that if I omit the .bluetoothTransportBriding option during pairing I will get a pairing request when I read an encrypted attribute after connecting with the CBConnectPeripheralOptionEnableTransportBridgingKey option. If I accept this request it seems like the system automatically brings up the A2DP profile. However if I include .bluetoothTransportBriding and/or .bluetoothPairingLE this option does not pop up, but the system does not bring up the A2DP profile. In this case things seem to end up in a weird situation where the device doesn't show up for pairing in Bluetooth Settings either, making it impossible to manually connect for A2DP. Based on the AccessorySetupKit example from WWDC24 I've created a dice accessory firmware for ESP32 using btstack. The code for this is available here: https://github.com/ljodal/esp32-btstack-ctkd-test I've also tweaked the AccessorySetupKit example app for iOS to add the ASAccessory.SupportOptions. The code for that is available here: https://github.com/ljodal/accessorysetupkit-ctkd-test Is there any documentation available anywhere on what is expected of the device for Bluetooth Transport Bridging to work with AccessorySetupKit?
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218
Jul ’25
iOS 26 Beta 3 — iPhone 13 stuck at 1% battery, 0% battery health, reboots every few minutes
Hello Apple team and community, I’m reporting a critical issue affecting iPhone 13 (128 GB) on iOS 26 Public Beta 3. Problem Summary: • Device stays stuck at 1% battery, even while charging • Battery Health shows 0% in Settings • Phone reboots every 5 minutes while unplugged • Only works when connected to power • Cannot update, charge properly, or maintain uptime Additional Context: • The issue appeared immediately after installing iOS 26 beta 3 • Affected devices often have a replaced battery (even official or high-quality replacements) • Seems to be a software validation bug related to battery firmware • Reported by many users across Reddit, Apple Forums, and Twitter — but not listed in Known Issues What Has Been Tried: • Recovery Mode / Safe charging / Clean install (same version) – no effect • Third-party repair tools (ReiBoot, 3uTools) — partial workaround • Jailbreak with Nugget or iCleaner to disable crash daemons – temporarily helps • Apple Support suggested full device replacement (!) ⸻ Request: Please investigate and acknowledge this issue. This bug renders devices unusable for users with legitimate battery replacements — we need a fix in an upcoming beta.
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1.4k
Aug ’25
Support for cycling power & cadence sensors in HKWorkoutSession on iOS?
Hi everyone, while testing HKWorkoutSession with HKLiveWorkoutBuilder on iOS 26 Beta (cycling workout), I noticed the following behavior: – Starting a cycling HKWorkoutSession automatically connects to my Bluetooth heart rate monitor and records HR into HealthKit ✅ – However, my Bluetooth cycling power meter and cadence sensor (standard BLE Cycling Power & CSC services) are not connected automatically, and no data is recorded into HealthKit ❌ On Apple Watch, when starting a cycling workout, these sensors do connect automatically and their data is written to HealthKit — which is exactly what I would expect on iOS as well. Question: Is this by design, or is support for power and cadence sensors planned for iOS in the same way as on watchOS? Or do we, as developers, need to implement the BLE Cycling Power and CSC profiles ourselves (via CoreBluetooth) if we want these metrics? Environment: – iOS 26 Beta – HKWorkoutSession & HKLiveWorkoutBuilder (cycling) – Bluetooth HRM connects automatically – BLE power & cadence sensors do not This feature would make it much easier to develop cycling apps with full HealthKit integration, and also create a more consistent user experience compared to watchOS. Thanks for any insights!
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159
Jul ’25