Author: Kevin Gaboury, Account Executive, Nereus
USB is one of the handful of technologies that many of us use daily without even thinking about it. Whether charging a phone, loading files onto an external hard drive, or plugging your computer into a docking station, chances are good that you’ve used USB technology at some point.
As the organization nears its 30th anniversary, we look back on USB’s journey from a great idea to its ubiquity as a widely adopted industry standard that makes our uber-connected lives a little simpler.
Humble Beginnings
The year was 1996. Saxophone player – and US president – Bill Clinton was wrapping up his first term in office, everyone was doing the Macarena, and a technology that would ultimately change the way we connect and charge devices was born.
Prior to USB technology, plugging devices like mice, keyboards, and printers into a computer required several cables, additional software support, and often, a lot of frustration. For Ajay Bhatt and his team at Intel, the challenge was to develop a universal port that would replace the multitude of cables needed to connect external devices.
“Our goal was that when you get a device, you plug it in, and it works,” Bhatt said.
This simple goal led to the development of the Universal Serial Bus, originally devised to standardize the connection of peripherals to computers during a time when PCs were becoming a common household item. The nonprofit USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) was formed around this time to promote and maintain the USB technology specifications. Industry adoption grew rapidly, and by the early 2000s, most PCs were shipping out with at least two USB ports.
More Power!
USB continued its exponential growth into the new millennium, evolving the cables and connectors as technology advanced to accommodate higher data rates, faster charging speeds, and more power.
The first USB cables and connectors could transmit data up to 12 megabits per second (Mbps). Not bad for the devices of the time, but with new advanced products like smartphones hitting the market, USB-IF needed to up the ante. In 2008, the USB 3.0 specification introduced a 5 gigabit per second (Gbps) data rate, and just one decade later, USB4® was transmitting up to 40 Gbps of data. USB-IF also introduced USB Power Delivery in 2012, supporting 100 watts of power over a single USB cable, paving the way for faster charging and powering of advanced devices.
One Port to Rule them All: The Rise of USB Type-C
The USB connector itself experienced multiple iterations as devices continued to shrink in size. Most of us are familiar with USB Type-A (also known as Standard-A), the rectangular connector and port commonly found on charging cables, laptops, flash drives, etc. Over the years, USB-IF introduced a variety shapes and sizes – like USB Type-B, Mini-A, Mini-B, Micro-A, and Micro-B – demonstrating USB connector evolution to accommodate the increasingly slimmer smartphones and tablets.
A popular meme implies the need to flip a USB-A connector over at least three times before it plugs in correctly. It’s funny! But true or not, the USB Type-C® connector solved the problem for good, launching USB into a new era.
Introduced to the public in 2014, USB-C was touted as the versatile, all-purpose connector of the future. Along with a slimmer profile, USB-C is reversible, making multiple plug-in attempts a thing of the past. USB-C is also powerful – the latest specifications support up to 80 Gbps of data transfer and up to 240W of charging power over a single USB-C cable.
These days, most new laptops come with at least one USB-C port and the majority of smartphones are charged via USB-C – Apple being the latest convert, ditching the Lightning connector in favor of USB-C in 2023 with the release of the iPhone 15.
With nearly universal industry adoption, USB is expected to continue its growth curve well into the 21st century. And, according to market forecasts, USB-C connector sales will reach 19 billion by 2033. That’s not bad for a small but powerful connector that will likely continue to have a fundamental impact on the technology landscape for another 30 years.
USB-IF has been a Nereus client since 2005. We provide a wide range of services for USB-IF, including press releases, media relations, quarterly newsletters, brand management, event support, and advertising management. In 2014, we helped launch the USB Type-C connector to the masses, and we currently manage advertising campaigns to promote the Certified USB logos to a global audience. We also support USB-IF at global tradeshows, including CES in Las Vegas, Mobile World Congress on Barcelona, and Computex in Taipei.