The reversible USB connector, also known as the "Type-C" connector, is finally ready to be released to the public and will be mass-produced in the coming months.
The connector is the first type of USB connector to be released in 17 years, and it has a big advantage in that it can be plugged in "upside-down" without any problems.
The connector itself has a relatively simple design, with a rounded rectangular shape. Like the micro-USB, it has 18 pins, which are connected to a centerboard. It is essentially two connectors in one, with the nine "top" or "bottom" pins being used for transfers depending on how the connector is plugged in.
Not only is the connector more convenient, but it also supports the USB 3.1 standard, meaning that files can be transferred at speeds of up to 10 Gbps, provided both devices involved in the transfer also support the standard.
Despite the ease-of-use and high speed of transfers, the connector is not backwards compatible with any other types of USB connections. However, it is expected that adapters will be created allowing users to plug devices with Type-C connectors to the standard A type connection.
The USB 3.0 Promoter Group, which involves a number of tech companies such as HP, Microsoft and Texas Instruments, says that the design could help device makers better position USB ports on their devices. It could also open doors for innovation in device design.
"This next generation of USB technology opens the door for the invention of an entirely new, super-thin class of devices that consumers haven't even seen yet," said Alex Peleg, vice president of platform engineering at Intel.
A reversible USB design has been highly anticipated by many ever since Apple first introduced its reversible Lightning connection on its iPhone, iPad and iPod back in 2012. The standard USB connection that most are used to has caused its fair share of problems, with users often having trouble discerning which way the connection is supposed to plug in.
Products using the Type-C connector will likely start appearing within the next couple months, though it is likely that it won't be until 2015 that we start seeing devices such as smartphones that use the new design. Smartphones have been known for being one of the main users of the micro-USB connector ever since governments, including the European Union, mandated micro-USB as the standard for charging and file transfer.
