iOS - Bluetooth to serial device - Will it work?

Question

I've been playing around with a bluetooth to serial device for a while now trying to get it to work with Android. I've got it communicating properly with Android and every thing seems to be working fine there.

Now I need to get it to work with iOS. It seems Apple is being all Apple like as always and only supporting certain interfaces. According to this document, only UART, USB, SPI, PCM, SPDIF, and SPP are supported with the device that I'm using. More information on the device can be found here.

I'm not really sure what any of those are other than USB and SPP, but I believe SPP doesn't work with iOS.

So my question is will this device work with iOS for bluetooth to serial communication?

Also, if this device won't work (which I'm assuming it won't), what are some good bluetooth to serial options? According to some of my research, I need an MFi certified device?

Upon further research it looks like Bluetooth LE is an option using devices like these with connectBlue Low Energy Serial Port Service:

http://www.u-blox.com/en/bluetooth-wifi-multiradio-modules/bluetooth-low-energy/ols425-olp425-modules.html http://www.spezial.cz/pdf/RBS421-Product-Brief.pdf

Answer 1

I was able to get Bluetooth to serial working on iOS by using a Bluetooth Low Energy to serial device which uses the TruConnect service. I followed this guide to get everything working:

https://truconnect.ack.me/1.5/apps/communicating_via_ble#reading_from_a_truconnect_device_serial_interface

This is the device I ended up using:

https://serialio.com/product/bluetooth-serial-adapter/bluesnap-smart-bluetooth-40-rs232-adapter

Answer 2

We have been following this issue for some time and you are correct: the only way to get serial data from a device to your application is via an MFi certified device.

Previously answered here.