USB Type-C, is a small wired connector, with a new port. What is exciting about it is that it comes with some exceptional features. This innovative hardware tool for Android smartphones was first revealed in Google’s I/O Conference last month. Basically, USB Type-C is just a connector shape, what matters the most it the technology supporting it.
Mobile Manufacturers introducing USB Type-C:
Many Smartphone companies are said to be interested in USB Type-C for their flagship smartphones and as it is an open standard it will be available for all mobile makers. Google will release USB Type-C with their next Nexus Smartphone and Samsung will introduce USB Type-C in their flagship devices Galaxy S6 Plus and Galaxy Note 5 series as per reports. However, OnePlus is ahead of all, as they are set to release OnePlus 2 next month with USB Type-C.
USB Power Delivery:
So far we use normal micro-USB connectors or chargers to charge our smartphones or tablets. However, the Laptops requires atleast 60 Watts. But our current USB 2.0 standard connection usually delivers 2.5 watts which is quiet enough for phones or tablets. But they cannot transfer the power to any other device. This is where USB Type-C makes the difference. Using this new type of USB ports and chargers, you can charge up your device with 100 watts power as well as share the power to any other devices on the go as well. Best enough, it can also charge up your laptops with upto 100 Watts.
USB Type-C is bidirectional as you know, so you can send or receive power at the same time you can send or receive data as well. Currently MacBook and Chromebook pixel from Apple and Google respectively use USB Type-C charging port. With USB Type C your charger for laptop and Smartphone will be same, which sounds pretty exciting and also you would be able to connect an external display monitor to your laptop using USB Type-C and even that would help you charge your laptop.
But for everything along with USB Type-C, you must have both devices to support USB power transfer and also the cable which you are using should support USB power transfer. One universal port for almost everything, it is as exciting and productive as it looks.
USB Type-C and USB 3.1 Standard:
USB Type C can come with USB 3.0 standard which transfers data at 5GBps or with the latest USB 3.1 standard which will allow 10GBps data transfer rate. However this completely depends on manufacturers as to what USB standard they want USB Type-C with. FOR EXAMPLE Nokia’s Android tablet N1 comes with USB Type-C connector, but the data transfer standard is USB 2.0 only. So the speed of data transfer using USB Type-C completely depends on the standard technology under it.
Backwards Compatibility:
Now talking about backwards compatibility, your USB Type-C cable won’t support backward compatibility, however the USB standard i.e. USB 3.0, 3.1 are backwards compatible. So USB Type-C will support older devices but you would need an adapter, at which one end will be older USB port and other will be USB-Type C. So this will allow you to connect to older devices as well.
Let’s talk about the features of USB Type-C!
- Port is small yet powerful
- It will fit in the port in any plug orientation and is bidirectional
- Same design on both ends like Lightning cable of Apple, which makes it reversible
- USB Type-C will let you transfer data @10 GBps using USB 3.1
- Charge your mobile, tablet,
- It is capable to carry massive amount of power around 100 watts, enough power to charge your high-end laptop.
- Charge your Smartphone using another Smartphone with the help of USB Type-C
- Also you will be able to use USB type-C with older ports like the ones which are currently used, you will just a need an adapter.
- Type-C is capable of carrying a video between your PC, TV, Laptop, Smartphone and tablet, in both ways.
This function is currently carried out through HDMI, VGA and Display Ports, USB Type-C will certainly look to standardize a single port for all functions.
It will take time for USB Type-C to become the standard port everywhere, but it is going to surely make it easy for us, all you will need is a small cable for everything including charging, data transfer, connections and more. What more would you want!!
