14 DAY TRIAL // The Universal Serial Bus interface is on the cusp of a new advancement, but said advancement will have a pretty big drawback, unlike the passing from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0.
The USB Implementers Forum has been working on the USB 3.1 specification for many months by this point, and it's almost finished with it.
Sadly, not all of our expectations and hopes will be fulfilled. Equally as sad is that the sacrifice we're about to detail is rather necessary.
Basically, the USB 3.1 interface will be smaller, the same size as the USB 2.0 micro-B connector. The port will be called USB Type-C.
That means it won't be compatible with existing connectors, USB 3.0 or USB 2./1.1. The same goes for cables and cable adapters.
Instead, “passive new-to-existing cables” will be released to allow for backwards compatibility with current hardware.
On the flip side, the new port will allow for direct interfacing with smartphones and other gadgets using micro-USB links.
What's more, USB 3.1 brings a new asset, and we're not talking about the transfer speed of 10 Gbps this time (twice that of USB 3.0).
Instead, we are referring to the fact that the port is reversible, which means that it doesn't matter which side is up when you push it into a port.
USB-IF is making the Type-C connector scalable, both in performance (will support future USB standards) and in power charging.
A review of the specification will be done in early 2014, during the first quarter of the year, which means that the release will happen mid-year. A full-size USB port, if at all planned, hasn't been detailed yet.
“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,” said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group chairman.
“The new Type-C connector will fit well with the market’s direction and affords an opportunity to lay a foundation for future versions of USB.”