hi i need to create a simple connector. I think i may need to create an arduino board that will take data from the application and then transmit them to an external device.
There is a slider in the application which the user can adjust. When adjusting the slider the application will just send in values from the application to the connection that i need to make which will connect to the external device.
Step 1: How do i program the ipad application so that it will transmit to the connecter?
there must be some api to achieve this.
Step 2: What do i need to use to create the connecter (a circuit board which will read the simple string data coming in and then transmit say an integer back out to the external device) so that my iphone can communicate with it?
I really need help with this one. Ive never done this before but i need to get this done.
In order get get access to the APIs necessary to develop apps that use the dock connector to talk to external hardware, you have become a member of Apple’s Made for iPhone program. It’s not a particularly simple process.
You’re better off designing a device that can use WiFi to talk to the iPhone, then you can use the standard networking APIs and don’t need any special permission from Apple.
EDIT: This answer is 5+ years old now. It’s still true that you need to be in the MFi program to use the dock connector. However, at this point, most of the time Bluetooth 4.0 is the easiest way to make hardware that can communicate with a custom iPhone app.