Peripheral Progress
The USB charging port for smartphones is going to change again next year. USB Type-C will be more convenient to use. However, the new USB cables could cause inconvenience for consumers, since they are not compatible with existing ones.
According to sources in the component industry on Sept. 29, Samsung Electronics and Apple are planning to use the USB Type-C port in new smartphones next year. Xiaomi Technology and other Chinese smartphone vendors are also going to feature the new USB charging port in their new products.
With Type-C, both ends of the USB cable will be the same, unlike USB Type-A or B. Therefore, users do not need to distinguish between a plug and a connector, which will be more convenient. The new USB charging port enables faster data transmission speeds as well.
In addition, the cable can charge a device while transmitting data at the same time, which has only been possible since USB 3.0. In the past, it was not possible to deliver power while transmitting data, which led to a slowdown in charging batteries.
Samsung is planning to use USB Type-C in its flagship products like the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Note 6 next year. An industry source said, “As far as I know, Samsung is going to make it possible for flagship models to deliver power and transmit data at the same time, but not entry-level phones.”
Experts are saying that USB Type-C will be used in PCs and smartphones from next year. Apple already did in the new MacBook in the first half of this year, and is reportedly adopting Type-C in new iPhones series, too. Xiaomi is also gearing up to unveil a new line of smartphones using USB Type-C, according to Chinese media outlets.