Why is USB-C so popular?

USB-C is more compact than its predecessors, reversible in connectivity (vertical orientation doesn't matter for a USB-C connection), and compatible with a number of connection types like USB-A, HDMI, Thunderbolt™ 3, etc. Also, due to power delivery support, charging capabilities and transfer speeds are faster.

Why is everyone going to USB-C?

USB-C using the USB 3.1 spec (some Type-C ports only run at USB 3 speeds) is significantly faster than the fastest USB-A standard and the port is also designed to carry significantly more power so a laptop can connect directly to a monitor, Ethernet, displays, storage, and power supply using just one port.

Is USB-C becoming more popular?

USB-C has come a long way since its debut in 2014, now becoming the standard for charging and basic data transfer (on everything except the iPhone, of course!) as well as audio and video for more and more devices.

Why Europe wants USB-C?

Why Has the EU Chosen USB-C as the Charging Standard? The EU legislators chose the USB Type-C interface over Apple's proprietary Lightning connector ecosystem primarily due to its open nature.

Is EU forcing Apple to switch to USB-C?

New EU rules require all phones sold after autumn 2024 to use the USB-C connector for their charging ports. The oval-shaped plugs are already standard on other consumer electronics such as e-readers, games consoles, laptops and the vast majority of new Android phones.

Explained: What Is USB-C?

Is Europe switching to USB-C?

We finally have a final official deadline for when new phones sold in the European Union — including future iPhones — will have to use USB-C for wired charging: December 28th, 2024. That's because the EU's new USB-C legislation has just been published in the bloc's Official Journal, making it formally binding.

Is USB-C really the future?

By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. From spring 2026, the obligation will extend to laptops.

Will USB-C be the last?

According to current EU legislation, all smartphones, tablets, and cameras sold in the EU by the end of 2024 must have a USB Type-C charging port. It will also apply to laptops from spring 2026. USB-C ports will become the key for the industry that previously focused on other USB kinds.

Why did USB-C fail?

Cable compatibility, arguably the most frustrating of USB-C's problems, stems from legacy support for slower devices and the introduction of higher-speed use cases like video data. USB 2.0 features just four-pin connectors for data and power, while 3.0 cables increase this to eight.

Why don t Apple want USB-C?

Apple has opposed the idea of a common charger for mobile devices long before the European Commission tabled the proposal in 2021 as a way to reduce e-waste. It agreed with the EU's environmental goals for a common USB-C, but argued it would harm consumers globally and stifle innovation.

Why does Apple refuse USB-C?

Why don't iPhones use USB-C? iPhones are designed with Apple's proprietary data/charging cable/connector standard referred as Lightning connector. Type-C connector standard is published in 2014, and Apple had launched lightning connector standard on 2012, just two years before, with iPhone5.

Why is Apple doing USB-C?

Apple already admitted the USB-C cable is better

Previously the iPad used the same Lightning port the iPhone uses. By saying the USB-C port is faster and more versatile than any port before on an iPad, Apple is indirectly bashing the Lightning cable still used for the iPhone.

What did the EU announce about USB-C?

A landmark law requiring Apple and other electronics makers to adopt USB-C as a universal charging standard in the European Union has cleared its final procedural hurdle, after EU member states voted to approve the legislation on Monday.

What is the disadvantage of USB-C?

Why is USB-C so confusing?

The complexity of USB-C

USB-C is confusing, because for each capability — power, data, and video — there's a specification you need to know. You can't just pick up any USB cable and expect it to do all these things. So how the heck would you identify a cable or a device's USB capabilities correctly?

Is USB-C actually better?

When it comes to true specifications, USB-C simply has better data transfer rates, symmetry in its connection to help avoid frustration and broken connections, and the ability to charge large electronics. In addition USB-C allows for greater power transfer speeding up the process of charging your devices.

How long will we use USB-C?

Last month, it announced that most new portable devices (e.g., phones, tablets, headphones, etc.) must use a USB-C charger by 2024, per NPR. All new laptops must do so by 2026.

Will USB-C become universal?

To reduce e-waste and consumer spending, the EU voted overwhelmingly to make the USB-C the Union's universal charger by 2024.

What will succeed USB-C?

The USB Promoter Group has announced USB4 Version 2.0, a forthcoming specification that will double the speed of the 40 Gbps transmission limit of the current USB4 spec over USB-C.

Is USB-C old?

The USB Type-C Specification 1.0 was published by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and was finalized in August 2014. It was developed at roughly the same time as the USB 3.1 specification. In July 2016, it was adopted by the IEC as "IEC 62680-1-3".

Why did the EU ban Lightning cables?

European officials say that the new rules will make it easier for customers to charge their devices, without having to search through different options. It will also help reduce electronic waste since users can keep the same charger when they buy new devices, they claim.

Why are laptops moving to USB-C?

Speed, power, and video delivery

A big bonus is that on many newer laptops and desktops, the USB-C specification also supports Intel's Thunderbolt 3 data-transfer technology. In other words, a USB-C port on a computer equipped with Thunderbolt 3 can push data speeds to a theoretical limit of 40Gbps.

Why does Apple prefer Lightning over USB-C?

Lightning cables handle tip breakage better than their USB-C counterparts. The male connector needs to be removed from the iPhone's port, and after that it's good to go. When a USB-C tip breaks there is a 57 percent chance its inner connectors will be damaged before the outside metal tip.

Why is USB-C better than Lightning?

Data Transfer Rates

USB-C comes packed with USB4 support making it the clear winner here as it supports data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps (gigabits per second) while the Lightning connection only supports up to 480 Mbps (megabits per second) with USB 2.0. That's roughly an 80x faster rate with the USB-C connection.

Will Apple switch iPhone to USB-C because we have no choice?

'We have no choice' says Apple VP

His revelation followed a recent EU decision to require all manufacturers to use USB-C for charging small electronic devices such as iPhones by the end of 2024. “We have no choice — as we do around the world, (we) will comply with local laws,” he said.