It’s official. USB-C will soon become the single standard for all electronic chargers entering the market, at least in the European Union. The law in Europe also sets a two-year deadline to implement the change for existing devices. The main goal is to simplify consumers’ lives with a single charger and, at the same time, reduce electronic waste, which has been a major global problem for years.
“This is a long-awaited change for both the industry and consumers. On one hand, it standardizes the manufacturing format for different brands in the sector, while on the other, consumers won’t need a different charger for each device. At the same time, the environment also benefits as electronic waste, which accumulates year after year, is significantly reduced,” says Oscar Martínez, Regional Director of Kingston for Mexico and Central America.
What is USB-C?
USB-C was created by the USB Implementers Forum, a group formed by the world’s leading technology companies. Its main goal was to tackle the problem of dead cables filling landfills and to create a standard connector. The result was USB-C: easy to use, symmetrical, and reversible. It’s small enough to fit into increasingly compact mobile devices, but powerful enough for all the peripherals of a laptop.
Technically, USB-C is compatible with the latest USB 3.2 communication protocols and is faster and more powerful than most standard USBs. USB-C can provide up to 100W of power to devices and transfer data at up to 20Gbps. It can also deliver Ultra-HD 4K video resolution and transmit audio. This means it can recharge full-size products and transfer data up to 20 times faster than USB 2.03, while offering an Ultra-HD 4K experience[1].
Types of USB
There are also other types of USB. For example, USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2, whose difference lies mainly in speed. USB 3.1 Gen 1 supports speeds up to 5 Gbit/sec, while USB 3.1 Gen 2 supports speeds up to 10Gbps. In 2017, USB 3.2 appeared. USB-C, meanwhile, supports higher data transfer speeds and can charge other peripheral devices faster, which is why it has naturally become the main USB connector when using USB 3.2 Gen 2[2].
“We have a wide range of USB Data Traveler devices with different features that make it possible to quickly transfer all types of data, from documents and presentations to music, photos, and much more. We are confident that this long-awaited standardization will be seen in our region in the coming years, as everyone benefits—industry, consumers, and the environment,” concludes Martínez.
About Kingston Technology Company, Inc.
From big data to laptops and PCs, including IoT-based devices like smart technology and wearables, Kingston helps manufacturers integrate solutions used to live, work, and play. The world’s largest PC manufacturers and cloud storage companies rely on Kingston to meet their manufacturing needs, and our passion fuels the technology the world uses every day. We strive beyond our products to have a broader vision, meet our customers’ needs, and deliver solutions that make a difference. For more information on how Kingston is with you, visit Kingston.com.
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