Justin Bieber <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3oStEyoXT8" target="_blank">wearing Monster-branded Spider-Man Beats headphones</a> in 2010
Years before Apple bought Beats Electronics, the Beats by Dr. Dre-branded headphones were produced in part by audio and video equipment maker Monster. After Beats decided to let its contract with Monster expire in 2012, however, the cable maker saw Apple’s $3 billion purchase of the company as reason to sue. Now Monster claims, after filing its lawsuit in January, that Apple is pushing it out of the MFi program that allows manufacturers to advertise compatibility with and use the iPhone maker’s licensed technology when producing and selling accessories…
Monster tells The Wall Street Journal that Apple is strategically stripping the company of its MFi (Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod and now Apple Watch) certification as a result of the pending lawsuit against Beats Electronics despite Apple working with companies like Samsung during ongoing legal disputes.
Apple’s decision not to continue supporting Monster through its MFi program reportedly came on May 5th with Apple’s legal team informing Monster’s that the lawsuit meant the two companies no longer benefited each other and was harmful to their relationship.
Without MFi certification, Monster says it will be forced to address how it manufactures and markets an estimated 900 products by September when its current agreement expires. In previous years, Apple has sold Monster-branded products through its retail stores including the now-discontinued Beats headphones during that partnership.
While more direct this time around, the move is not unlike one made by Apple following another lawsuit it inherited with its Beats acquisition. After news surfaced that Apple planned to acquire Beats, Bose sued the company over its use of noise cancelling technology in its headphones. Although the company eventually settled privately over the dispute, that didn’t happen without Bose products being temporarily removed from Apple Stores for a brief period.
Monster’s lawsuit against Beats Electronics is still pending after being filed at the beginning of this year.
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This article fails to define what “MFi” means. What is it?
“Made for i[insert iDevice here]”. Any time you see the “Made for iPhone/Pod/Pad” logo on anything that means it’s passed Apple’s muster as being able to properly function with their stuff, usually for things like the play controls or in-line mic etc.
I think the article should be updated to make note of what it is which is what I assume you were originally alluding to.
Made For i(Pod/Phone)
It does say what MFi ‘does’ but you’re right — it doesn’t say what MFi actually means. It also did not use an uppercase “M” when writing May as a proper noun. But then again, who proofreads anymore.
Andrew, I believe that the last sentence of your comment should end with a question mark.
Alexis, I’m not making money off of my comments, nor do I claim to be any type of journalist.
Simple web search…
https://developer.apple.com/programs/mfi/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MFi_Program
It’s amazing what search engines can do…
To be fair the journalist who wrote the piece should have probably mentioned it.
Thanks added written out description as well.
The article says it in this paragraph:
Monster tells The Wall Street Journal that Apple is strategically stripping the company of its MFi (Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod and now Apple Watch) certification as a result of the pending lawsuit against Beats Electronics despite Apple working with companies like Samsung during ongoing legal disputes.
I was wondering the same thing… great journalism! Duh!
Monster is a horrible company — they have had many ridiculous lawsuits over the years, I remember one in particular where they sued a Mini Golf place because they had “Monster” in the name — how obscene…
Seriously? Sounds like something Zynga would do
Monster sues everybody, now Apple turns it back on their ass! Monster is a crooked manufacture and all hype with their bullshit cables. This company needs to go down in flames!
Um, did you read the actual lawsuit against Beats and HTC? Go read it and take out any bias towards anyone. Monster protects their branding just like anyone else would.
Apple is being chicken $hit in this matter. Monster and Apple have been long time business partners and Monster helped Apple market iPods to the automotive market by making connection kits for the automotive industry. Monster has helped Apple when Apple wasn’t that big of a company. What Apple did was they bought Beats and Beats was doing some slimy stuff prior to the buyout. I wouldn’t get all pissed at Monster, i’d be pissed at Beats and Tim Cook for wasting money on Beats in the first place.
“Monster has helped Apple when Apple wasn’t that big of a company.” When was it where Apple wasn’t big? Apple has been in business since 1977 and has been a success story from day one, with some ebb and flow. Monster Cable helps no one but itself!
You run with the big dogs, Monster, and you’re gonna get bit when you piss them off. What did you think was going to happen when you sued Apple? Lunch with Tim? “Oh but they kept working with Samsung during legal disputes!” Yeah, Samsung makes half the shit inside Apple products. Guess how much you make, Monster? Yeah, nada. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Agreed, but Samsung was a different situation because there, Apple was suing Samsung over infringing IP. So in that case, to make it an equal example, Samsung would have to drop Apple as a customer. But Samsung’s chip manufacturing division would never do that because having Apple as a customer is far too lucrative for them. Otherwise, they would have done it a long time ago to help their own mobile phone division. We can only assume Samsung really depends on Apple being their customer, and vise versa. They are dependent on each other right now. In this case, Apple doesn’t need Monster in any way and they can just go get bent as far as Apple is concerned, lol.
Monster wasn’t suing Apple, they were suing Beats and HTC. Go read the actual lawsuit before Tim pulled the MFi labeling. Monster has helped Apple many years ago dating back to when Apple started selling iPods. Apple’s being a bunch of chicken $hits with the MFi nonsense. Apple is pissing people off and they are going to hurt as a result. I’ve been buying Apple products since the beginning, but I’m not going to buy a Beats headphone or anything else having to do with Beats.
Is the Justin Bieber picture there to let us know how bad Monster is lol.
He’s wearing Beats.
OMG, really?
In my day teen idols were considered uncool, merely objects of veneration of 12 to 14 year old girls. Definitely beneath our notice. Any product they endorsed was something to be avoided. I’m guessing things have changed over the years by your reaction? (BTW, I had no idea that was Justin Bieber)
I think beats was very clever at their initial marketing. I hated beats in the beginning, expensive, bass-biased, easy to break etc.
I didn’t care that JB or Gaga wore them but they started showing up in every single music video, then movies and soon after my entire school was wearing it. Then I give it another try, but then they got better at making headphones and became accepted as fashion accessorises.
By the time solo2 came out, people just bought them cuz they were chic. Not gonna lie, I have 5 pairs of beats in my wardrobe but never really listen to them anymore.
Trying out a pair at the Apple store recently (after the purchase), you have to admit, they gone from viral to decent. I’d pick up a pair if my UE headphones broke.
OMG I thought that was some girl with short hair. Christ…..
He’d be so fracked if he suddenly woke up in the middle of the backwoods of Georgia or Arkansas.
He’s just too damn purty.
I have no great love for Monster after seeing them selling their staggeringly overpriced line of cables to gullible “audiophiles”, but I have a iClarity bluetooth speaker from them that is very impressive for its size, so I know they’re capable of making some good products. It seems that Apple is just being vindictive, which is below them and in poor character.
Meh, I would do the same. I think any company would. Why support a company if they are deciding to be your enemy? No one forced them to sue Apple and it’s probably frivolous based on Monster’s history of behavior. They should be punished. Business is about partnerships and trust.
If Apple hadn’t bought them they’d have been suing Beats. MFi is simply a confirmation that your product conforms to a particular hardware specification and shouldn’t be the subject of reward or punishment. Apple bought Beats along with all their baggage and should have done their due diligence. Apparently they weren’t thorough enough but that’s no reason to deny a company a hardware certification they deserve.
Well, if your neighbor sued you would you still lend them your lawnmower when they asked?
It depends. If a tree in my yard fell over and damaged their house and their only recourse was to sue me to get my insurance company to pay for repairs, then yes. If it was a frivolous lawsuit, then no.
Karma’s a B#tich! That’s what you get for selling to people HDMI cables at a $150 each when others were selling them for a fraction.
Pfff… pwned. Monster charges like $90 for an HDMI cable, and now they think because they “made” something for someone under contract they’re owed a piece. lol… That’s just dumb.
Welcome to tarnishing your company’s relationship with Apple for life.
If you actually knew what you were talking about, you’d know that Monster has their entry level $20 HDMI cable, their more expensive cables have been specs. You simply don’t understand HDMI cables.
Here’s the reason(s) why a cable will be more expensive.
1. Bandwidth. The more expensive Monster cables have higher bandwidths.
2. Length. If a cable is certified for a longer length, it will typically be more expensive product, so look at what the maximum length for a line of cables.
3. In wall certification It’s more costly to make HDMI cables that have in wall certification
4. Ethernet. Many of the ultra cheap HDMI cables don’t always have ethernet.
5. Name brand mfg have higher overhead costs, and many of them do their own engineering.
Never compare some no name product to a name brand product, that would be stupid.
PS. the same quality Monster entry level HDMI cable that Monster sells for $20 can be purchased from eBay for $4 shipped.
Zab Leka, not necessarily, it may have similar specs being 10.2Gbps and no ethernet, but No Name cables don’t have the same warranty. Monster’s warranty is actually a good warranty, one just has to keep their reciept and buy the product from an authorized reseller. Those El Cheapo cables are the low quality crap they throw in for free when you buy a piece of hardware. I don’t necessarily buy Monster cables but I do know they are significantly better than the ultra cheap cables because when you spend $4 to $6 on a HDMI cable, you have very little idea of what it really is. Plus if/when you have problems with it down the road, it’s a lot more difficult to get it replaced under warranty. There is a saying, you get what you pay for and with HDMI cables, I wouldn’t NEVER even consider the less than $10 cables. They typically don’t last long even if they actually worked in the first place.
” I don’t necessarily buy Monster cables” But you do seem to be obsessed with defending Monster’s ass? Noel Lee is a crook plan and simple. “They typically don’t last long even if they actually worked in the first place.” At $4 who needs a warranty? I have actually seen on eBay a two for the price of one sale on HDMI cables for less then $4. As for speaker cable, I can go to any CVS and buy an outlet extension cable for a few bucks, cut the ends off and have excellent speaker cable. Thank you!
Zab Leka, I don’t see it as necessarily defending Monster, I see it as defending any company that conforms to the MFi specification. If an accessory is in conformance then Apple should acknowledge the fact by allowing a company to advertise this conformance. It’s simply a hardware specification. It should have nothing to do with the company’s relationship with Apple. Apple should not be using the certification as a stick or a carrot. The fact that it is doing so is distasteful and probably illegal.
mpias3785, Do you even know how Monster treats it’s competitors and business allies? I am surprised they have not even sued the Monster beverage company yet. lol Apple regulates who can make products, apps and software for their operating systems and devices, apple is one of the most stringent about who can play in their ecosystem. So I don’t know what you are talking about Apple should allow Monster or any other manufacturer to make products for Apple’s platforms and get their stamp of approval no hold barred. Obviously you don’t get it. Apple is targeting Monster because Monster is a piece of shit company and deserves it. Tim Cook is not some dumb street thug. Wake-up!
Seems from the article that Monster sued Beats (now Apple). That’s seldom a positive factor in a business relationship.
Apple shouldn’t have pulled Monster’s MFi labeling, that’s being chilidish.
Apple is being childish? Are you a representative of Monster? Monster Cable is a bullshit company. They started out by selling “audiophile” grade grade cable. What a joke! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ERMu825m4
Beats is still separate from Apple in the lawsuit, and they are still a separate company as they haven’t been fully assimilated into Apple. When you buy a company, you buy the liabilities along with it. Just because Apple bought Beats doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be pending lawsuits that haven’t been filed. That’s the risk Apple took and Apple has to deal with the fact that Beats was a company that wasn’t pristine like Apple wants you to think. I thought it was a mistake to buy Beats, especially for $3Bil and the Bose lawsuit, the Monster lawsuit are just two reasons that validate my stance on it. Apple should not be pulling the MFi labeling because there seems to be no valid reason other than Tim Cook has the mentality of a spoiled brat.
So it’s alright for Noel Lee “THE HEAD OF MONSTER” (all in caps that’s how it is at the Monster web site) to sue Beats for something prior to Apple’s ownership. Yet Tim Cook is the one who is acting immature for banning a useless manufacturer from the iOS ecosystem in producing items for their proprietary platform? I guess if someone where to mug one of your family members, you would go shake their hand. LMAO!
“Justin Bieber wearing Monster-branded Spider-Man Beats headphones in 2010” — Did you mean to say ‘Beats branded headphones made by Monster?’ If not, what is the ‘b’ logo on the side of the headphones?
See http://www.soheadset.com/beats-by-dre-studio-spiderman-headphones-p-98.html