With USB connectors being the standard on almost every PC, flash drive, mobile device, etc., the group behind the USB connector stated on Wednesday that the newest USB Type-C connector is scheduled for a mid-2014 release.
The Type-C specification is built from the previous USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 technology so that thinner and sleeker USB products can be designed. As the newest USB 3.0 speeds are already reaching 5Gbit/s a second, I would expect the Type-C connector to go beyond that and reach speeds similar to Intel’s Thunderbolt connector at double USB 3.0 speeds.
USB Promoter Group chairman, Brad Saunders, had this to say in his statement:
“While USB technology is well established as the favored choice for connecting and powering devices, we recognize the need to develop a new connector to meet evolving design trends in terms of size and usability.”
The group has also stated that we can expect to see new hardware protocol, communication cables, and power supply connectors to also be considered while working on Type-C. Type-C’s best feature mind you is the fact that you will be able to use the connector in any orientation.
The group hasn’t said how the technology will work but I would imagine it would be quite similar to Apple’s Lighting cable. “[N]o longer [will you] need to be concerned with plug orientation/cable direction, making it easier to plug in.”
As USB 2.0 was such a huge hit the USB group has had quite some time off from creating new versions and, until now, they had very little competition.
“Unfortunately, we are not yet ready to share illustrations of the proposed new connector…At this point, we are still in the process of selecting between a couple of alternatives so it would be premature to share something that might be a bit misleading,” stated Saunders.
We may need to wait a little longer but everyday new technology is created. Just as Samsung was the first to create a smartphone with a USB 3.0 connector, more and more companies will hopefully be redesigning their products. I look forward to the new Type-C connector which will remove that little more frustration from my life of always disorientating the USB connector, nevertheless, I hope they choose a better name than just “Type-C”.
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