Technology

A Decade of Building What No One Else Could #

Maktar’s technology story is not about a single invention. It is about a sustained, decade-long accumulation of capabilities at the intersection of Apple’s hardware ecosystem, custom silicon design, and mobile software engineering—a combination so specialized that it functions as a structural competitive advantage.

We did not set out to build a moat. We set out to solve problems that required us to go deeper than anyone else was willing to go. The moat is a consequence.

The Origin: Inventing iOS External Storage (2011–2013) #

Why It Was Supposed to Be Impossible #

In 2011, Apple’s iOS was a closed system by design. There was no USB host mode, no file system access, no way for an app to talk directly to external hardware. The only communication channel available to developers was Apple’s External Accessory Framework (EAFramework)—a narrow data pipe that offered simple upstream/downstream byte streams with no direct hardware access.

Building external storage for the iPhone meant solving a problem that Apple had deliberately made difficult.

Generation 1: The OTG Approach (2011) #

The first solution, developed with Chesen Electronics, used an OTG (USB On-The-Go) chip as an external USB controller. The OTG chip handled the file system (FAT32) and communicated with the iOS app through Apple’s iAP 1 protocol.

The architecture worked, but the bottleneck was communication efficiency. The app and chip exchanged data through a virtual file read/write protocol—functional, but slow. The product proved the concept was viable. The performance proved that a fundamentally different approach was needed.

Generation 2: Three Breakthroughs (2012) #

The second generation, developed with Genesys Logic, rethought the entire architecture:

The IC Rethink. Instead of a complex OTG chip handling file system operations, Maktar switched to a simple USB card reader chip and moved the file system implementation entirely into the iOS app. A custom protocol built on top of iAP 1 accelerated data transfer between app and chip, eliminating the virtual file layer that bottlenecked Generation 1.

The Dual-Role App. The iOS app now served simultaneously as the user interface and as the hardware driver—a software-hardware integration that was architecturally unprecedented on iOS. This wasn’t just clever engineering; it established a design pattern that would define every Maktar product to follow.

The Embedded HTTP Server. A lightweight HTTP server built inside the iOS app redirected the hardware data stream, enabling direct streaming playback of full-resolution 1080p video from external storage. Before this, playing a video from an iOS accessory required copying the entire file to the iPhone first. This breakthrough made the product genuinely useful for media consumption.

Generation 3: Meeting Apple’s Lightning Challenge (2013) #

When Apple introduced the Lightning connector with iPhone 5, it opened the door for third-party external storage—but with requirements designed to separate serious engineering from casual attempts:

• 100 mA maximum power consumption when active
• 10 mA maximum when idle

Every major storage brand in the world wanted to build Lightning-compatible products. Nearly all USB IC design capability was concentrated in Taiwan. Not a single IC design company had a chip that met Apple’s power requirements.

Maktar founder Mactaris Chen ran three parallel development tracks:

Plan A — ATMEL SAM3U (Self-Developed) A ground-up solution implementing Apple’s new iAP 2 protocol with Native Transport (enabling block-level data transfer), SCSI pass-through to the storage IC, Apple co-processor authentication, and a power switching mechanism between USB 1 (standby, meeting the 10 mA idle requirement) and USB 2 (active, within the 100 mA budget). The power switching technology was patented.

Plan B — Phison Collaboration A parallel track with Phison Electronics on their flash memory controller, providing an alternative IC platform.

Plan C — Alcor Customization (The Winner) A custom chip built from Alcor Micro’s existing card reader silicon, incorporating all Plan A development work—iAP 2 implementation, Apple authentication, power management—into Alcor’s USB 3.0 architecture. This combined the best of both approaches: Maktar’s Apple-specific innovations with Alcor’s proven USB 3.0 platform.

Plan C became the foundation of Maktar’s first commercial product and the beginning of a long-term IC customization partnership that would span nine chip generations.

The MFi Deep Expertise #

What MFi Actually Means #

Apple’s MFi (Made for iPhone/iPad) program is widely recognized as a mark of quality. What is less understood—even by many in the industry—is how deep and demanding the technical requirements actually are.

MFi is not a sticker you buy. It is a certification that requires:

• Apple co-processor authentication: Every MFi-certified accessory must contain an Apple authentication chip that cryptographically verifies the accessory is authorized. Integrating this chip requires specific hardware design knowledge and firmware implementation.

• Protocol compliance: Apple’s iAP (iPod Accessory Protocol) defines how accessories communicate with iOS devices. iAP 1 offered basic serial communication. iAP 2, introduced with Lightning, added Native Transport for high-bandwidth block-level data transfer—but implementing it correctly requires deep protocol expertise.

• Power management: Apple sets strict power budgets for accessories. Meeting these while maintaining USB 3.0 data transfer speeds requires careful hardware design and active power state management.

• Testing and certification: Apple’s testing process is rigorous, covering electrical safety, signal integrity, protocol compliance, and user experience. Products that fail must be redesigned and resubmitted.

• Ongoing compliance: MFi certification is not a one-time event. Each new iOS version can introduce compatibility requirements, and Apple periodically updates the MFi specification.

What Maktar Knows That Others Don’t #

Beyond the standard MFi requirements, Maktar has developed expertise in MFi capabilities that most certified manufacturers never touch:

App Launch: The ability to automatically launch a companion iOS app when the accessory connects—without user interaction. This is the technology that makes Qubii’s automatic backup possible. Most MFi manufacturers use the basic “prompt” version; Maktar discovered and implemented the direct launch capability.

Role Switch: A specific MFi protocol feature required when an accessory needs to change its role during operation. Qubii requires Role Switch because it connects through a standard Lightning cable (rather than a dedicated connector), which demands dynamic role negotiation between the accessory and the iOS device.

Power State Switching: Maktar’s patented technique for switching between USB 1 (low-power standby) and USB 2 (full-speed active) modes to meet Apple’s strict power budgets while maintaining USB 3.0 performance. This patent was essential to winning the Lightning-era market.

These capabilities are not documented in publicly available tutorials. They come from years of direct development experience within the MFi ecosystem—from building nine generations of IC solutions, from debugging protocol-level issues with Apple’s engineering specifications, and from a founder who has been developing for Apple platforms since the 1980s.

Nine Generations of Custom Silicon #

The IC Evolution #

Maktar does not use off-the-shelf chips. Every product generation is built on custom IC solutions developed in deep collaboration with IC design companies—combining Maktar’s Apple-specific expertise with the chip partner’s silicon capabilities.

What This Means in Practice #

Each IC generation is not a minor revision. It represents a new combination of:

• Protocol implementation (iAP 1 → iAP 2 → Native Transport)
• Interface support (30-pin → Lightning → USB-C)
• Speed class (USB 2.0 → USB 3.0)
• Power management (passive → active switching → patented optimization)
• Platform coverage (iOS only → iOS + Android via AOA protocol)
• Apple feature integration (basic communication → App Launch → Role Switch)

A competitor attempting to enter this space would need to replicate not just the current generation, but the accumulated learning from all nine—the protocol edge cases, the power management tricks, the Apple certification pitfalls, the manufacturing yield optimizations.

IC Design Partnerships #

Maktar has worked with nine IC design companies across these generations:

• Chesen Electronics Corp.
• Genesys Logic
• ATMEL (now Microchip Technology)
• Alcor Micro
• Phison Electronics
• SiliconMotion
• Prolific Technology
• AlcorLink
• Norelsys

These relationships represent more than vendor contracts. Each partnership involves co-development work where Maktar contributes Apple-specific protocol implementations, power management innovations, and MFi compliance expertise that the IC design companies do not possess internally.

Software Architecture #

The App as Hardware Driver #

Every Maktar product ships with a companion app (iOS and Android) that does something unusual: it functions simultaneously as the user interface and as the hardware driver.

This dual-role architecture, first developed in the 2012 Generation 2 solution, means the app handles:

• File system operations: FAT32/exFAT implementation running inside the app, not on the IC chip
• Data transfer protocol: Custom protocol layer on top of iAP for optimized throughput
• Backup logic: Incremental backup with interrupt recovery (critical for Qubii, where users frequently unplug mid-charge)
• Media streaming: HTTP server for direct video playback from external storage
• Hardware abstraction: Unified interface across multiple IC generations and chip vendors
• Platform integration: Apple Files app extension, photo library access, contact sync

Firmware Development #

Below the app layer, Maktar develops and maintains firmware for every IC generation:

• iAP 1 protocol implementation — Legacy support for older accessories
• iAP 2 protocol implementation — Full Native Transport for block-level data transfer
• Apple co-processor authentication — Cryptographic handshake with Apple’s authentication IC
• SCSI pass-through — Direct storage command interface between app and IC
• Power state management — USB 1/USB 2 switching firmware implementing the patented power optimization
• MFi feature firmware — App Launch triggers, Role Switch negotiation

White-Label App Platform #

Maktar’s app platform also powers licensed products under other brands:

• Qubii App — Maktar-branded consumer app
• PowerBackup App — White-label version licensed to SoftBank, I-O DATA, and Elecom
• iSmartCopy App — Customized version for Elecom

Each white-label deployment maintains the same core backup engine while allowing brand-specific UI customization, feature configuration, and app store presence.

Qubii Air: Next-Generation Architecture #

From Local Backup to Three-Layer Protection #

Qubii Air represents the architectural evolution of Maktar’s technology from single-device local backup to a distributed, multi-layer protection system.

Layer 1 — Local Storage Engine #

The foundation remains the proven Qubii backup engine: automatic, incremental, interrupt-resilient backup to local storage during charging. This layer operates with zero internet dependency, zero subscription cost, and zero configuration. It is the layer that 1.1 million existing users already trust.

Layer 2 — P2P Remote Access #

A peer-to-peer networking layer that enables secure remote access to locally stored backup content without uploading files to a centralized cloud. Users can access their backed-up photos, videos, and documents from any device, anywhere, while the actual data remains on their local storage.

This architecture addresses a fundamental tension in cloud backup: users want access from anywhere, but many are uncomfortable with—or unable to afford—uploading their entire media library to a third-party cloud service. P2P resolves this by providing cloud-like accessibility with local-storage privacy and economics.

Layer 3 — AWS Glacier Cold Storage #

For disaster-level protection, the third layer archives content to AWS Glacier—Amazon’s long-term archival storage service designed for data that must survive decades.

This is the layer that transforms backup into insurance. Local devices can be lost, stolen, or destroyed. P2P access depends on at least one device remaining operational. Glacier storage provides the ultimate safety net: even if every physical device is gone, the data survives.

The integration between local storage and cold archival—automatically managing what gets archived, when, and how it’s retrieved—is an architectural challenge that combines Maktar’s device-level expertise with cloud infrastructure engineering.

The Complete Stack #

Qubii Air’s full technology stack:

Patent Portfolio #

Core Patents #

Maktar holds patents protecting key innovations in the iOS accessory ecosystem:

• USB Power State Switching — The patented technique for switching between USB 1 (standby) and USB 2 (active) power modes to meet Apple’s strict accessory power requirements while maintaining USB 3.0 data transfer speeds. This patent was essential to making Lightning-compatible iOS storage commercially viable.

• Additional patents covering aspects of the Qubii Air local-to-cold-storage integration architecture and related innovations.

Trade Secrets and Accumulated Know-How #

Beyond formal patents, Maktar’s competitive position is protected by a body of proprietary knowledge that exists nowhere else:

• Nine generations of MFi IC firmware source code
• Protocol-level optimizations for iAP 1 and iAP 2 communication
• Apple co-processor authentication implementation details
• Manufacturing yield data and optimization techniques across multiple IC generations
• App Launch and Role Switch implementation specifics
• Interrupt-resilient backup algorithms tested across millions of real-world backup sessions

This knowledge cannot be reverse-engineered from a product teardown. It lives in firmware code, in Apple protocol edge-case documentation, in manufacturing process parameters, and in the institutional memory of a team that has been doing this for over a decade.

Technology Timeline #

Open to Collaboration #

Maktar’s technology platform is available for licensing, co-development, and strategic partnership.

For IC design companies: Co-development of next-generation Apple-compatible storage and accessory ICs, combining your silicon capabilities with our MFi protocol and certification expertise.

For product brands: Complete IC + firmware + app solutions for launching MFi-certified products under your brand, with full white-label customization.

For telecom operators: Qubii Air’s three-layer architecture as a white-label or co-branded subscription service, integrated with your billing and customer management infrastructure.

For technology investors: A decade of proprietary technology, proven market traction (1.1M+ units, 68% Japan revenue share), and a clear path from hardware to SaaS.

Contact: sales@maktar.com