There’s a new type of USB cable and connector on the way. USB Type-C connectors are about the same size as a micro USB connector you’d normally find on a smartphone. But the new standard is designed to work with phones, tablets, and laptops.

As promised, new USB Type-C cables will also feature reversible plus so that there’s no way to insert a cable “upside down.”

usb type c_02

USB Type-C supports USB 3.1 SuperSpeed transfer rates of up to 10 Gbps and can deliver up to 100W of power to charge your devices — including laptops.

Unfortunately the introduction of a new standard means that your existing cables and accessories might not work with next-generation devices. It’ll take a while for the new standard to become, well… a standard. There are still plenty of devices shipping with USB 2.0 ports instead of USB 3.0 ports after all.

So while the Type-C connector is now ready for production and we could start seeing devices that use the new connector hit the streets soon, you might need an adapter to actually hook up your existing devices to a USB type-C connector.

via Android Authority and reddit

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11 replies on “USB Type-C is coming (small, reversible plugs)”

  1. PLEASE OH PLEASE let it be physically stronger than the current popular micro USB plug! It’s soooo annoying how easy it is to break, either the male or female side. I wish more devices used mini…

  2. The best properties with this thin USB Type-C contact is not only that it is thin as todays
    micro-USB but this new USB Type-C can transfer up to 100W as Powered USB can.
    So, this thin USB Type-C can replace ordinary Powered USB in all kinds of facilities as portable
    HDD, extra display and why not on the backside of thinner and thinner TV-displays.

  3. Unless they address the BadUSB security vulnerability (firmware level malware) and the hacking exploits somehow, I think the world’s in for a big surprise when things start getting owned – any type of USB is vulnerable. This USB type C doesn’t appear to solve this problem either.

    USB Vulnerability Articles:

    https://arstechnica.com/security/2014/07/this-thumbdrive-hacks-computers-badusb-exploit-makes-devices-turn-evil/
    https://www.wired.com/2014/07/usb-security/
    https://it.slashdot.org/story/14/07/31/149205/badusb-exploit-makes-devices-turn-evil
    https://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/07/31/hackers_can_modify_usb_firmware_to_spread_malware.html

    Etc.

    1. Like any threat, it depends… not every USB device can necessarily be used for attack… The problem is simply that some can be and that depends largely on the maker of the USB device and whether they specifically limited it or not… and the other side of the problem being how hard it is to tell as it’s not a conventional attack vector… Though, there is already software available to allow people to tell things like whether a USB thumb drive has been re-purposed as a USB keyboard, etc. but just not something the normal user would know to check for…

      But it does require a high level of sophistication to even implement such an attack, which limits how many could take advantage of it… Like we may have more to worry from organizations on the scale of the NSA than a typical malware maker…

      In any case, it’ll likely require a change in how they design the USB controller and firmware but aside from needing to upgrade out devices once that’s done there’s little the type of connector will do to change anything…

    3. So, do you also want the people who created the RJ-45 connector to fix the issues with OpenSSL?

    5. Whenever you have a complex protocol like USB you’re bound to have vulnerabilities in implementations, especially in embedded firmware where security standards are more lax. This appears to be a flaw in particular implementations of USB so I don’t see the relevance of blaming the physical interface which after all is just a few power and data lines.

  4. The cable we’ve all been waiting for…

    Now the only issue is the durability of the Thunderbolt cable head and socket are much better than this stamped metal frame USB uses. If it could be solid pieces of metal, not flat pieces that need to fit intertwined then there would dramatically decrease the likelihood of it bending or breaking off.

    I wonder what the Volt/Amp rating is if it’s up to 100w, 5v 20a?
    I’ve also always thought it would be clever to flatten PCBs better by inserting the ports inside them as pictured instead of placing them on top. It still takes up the same surface area either way.

    Also, first post on Liliputing, even though I’ve been following forever.

    1. According to Wikipedia, power is delivered at 20V for 100W:

      “up to 2 A at 5 V (for a power consumption of up to 10 W), and optionally up to 5 A at either 12 V (60 W) or 20 V (100 W)”

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