Anyone who’s hooked up a USB device to their
computer knows it’s a slightly irritating process.
You switch between sticking it in upside down and
rightside up, jiggling it around until it finally goes into its
slot. But that concern could become a ghost of technology
past.
The USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced that a new
connector, USB Type-C, is being developed.
“We recognize the need to develop a new connector to
meet evolving design trends in terms of size and usability,”
Brad Saunders, chairman of the industry standards group,
said in a statement. “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.”
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Unlike the Type-A USB connector, the type most often seen plugged into your computer, the Type-C will work either up or down. “Users will no longer need to be concerned with plug orientation/cable direction,” the USB 3.0 Promoter Group said in its statement.
However, there is a catch. The new USB connector is smaller
than the traditional Type-A cable, so it will not directly
connect to the standard ports. “The Type-C specification will
define passive new-to-existing cables and adapters to allow
users to use their existing products,” the group said.
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But the cable’s smaller size and shape may not be made
with a computer’s USB ports in mind. Alex Peleg, VP of Intel’s
Platform Engineering Group, said that the new connector
will usher in a new class of even thinner electronic devices.
“This new industry standards-based thin connector
delivering data, power, and video is the only connector one
will need across all devices,” he said in a statement.
The Type-C connector will be available in the mid-2014,
officials said.