In 2019, the cable and cable connector market had an estimated value of $86.14 billion. Come 2027, experts project this to skyrocket to $160.93 billion.
The various types of USB connectors available today make up a huge chunk of the cable market. After all, these are the cables used for consumer electronics like smartphones. Smartphones, in turn, have a population penetration of up to 90% in some areas of the world.
Since its introduction in the mid-1990s, USB technology underwent four major innovations. It pays to know what these are, as the different types of USB connectors aren’t always compatible. If you use the wrong one, you may end up damaging not only the cable or the port but the device itself.
Don’t worry, as we’re here to help you tell which USB is which and which devices you can find them in. Read on to discover the ABCs of USB-A to C.
USB Type-A
The USB Type-A, or USB-A, is the original Universal Serial Bus technology introduced in 1995. It’s the USB connector that you can find in at least 10 billion devices worldwide. We have the genius systems technologist Ajay Bhatt to thank for this technology.
You’ll know it’s a USB-A cable if one end is flat and rectangular, with a white or a blue piece inside a metal receptacle. This is the side you call “upstream end.” It’s also the end of the cable you usually plug into a computer or another device, such as a power bank or a wall adapter.
The other end of the USB-A cable is a different port, such as the “B” connector with a D shape appearance. This is what you call the “downstream end,” and it’s the side you plug into a USB device. You can find USB-A to USB-A connectors, but these usually serve as extension cables.
Even if USB-A has been around for more than two decades, many devices, like digital cameras, still use it. According to Lenovo.com, it’s also a staple in desktops, laptops, and peripherals like speakers. The same goes for gaming consoles and televisions.
USB Type-B
On one end of a USB-B connector is a near square cross-section with beveled top exterior corners. There are usually two pins each at the top and the bottom of this square piece. Printers, scanners, and bigger external storage devices rely on this type of USB.
In older USB-B cables, the other end came equipped with a USB-A port. It then progressed on to “mini” options, such as Micro-USB or Mini-USB. Today, you’ll find USB Type B connectors with a USB-C plug on the other end.
Both USB Type A and Type B have a rated service life of 1,500 connect-and-disconnect cycles. This means their ports should only wear out after you’ve inserted and removed them 1,500 times.
Mini-USB
The need for speed in mobile phone charging gave rise to the mini-USB technology in 2005. It’s also one of the first miniaturized versions of the standard USB. If the original USB-A was 4.5 mm x 12 mm, the mini version came in at 3 mm x 7 mm.
As for the shape, the mini-A is almost rectangular except for two beveled corners. The mini-B looks for more of a rectangle. Either way, the mini-USB connector boasted 5,000 connect-disconnect cycles.
Aside from their use as a charger, mini-USB connectors are also capable of data transfer. For this reason, they became the go-to connectors for digital cameras and mp3 players.
Manufacturers have deprecated the mini-USB connectors since May 2007. While they’re now obsolete, you can still find them in a few devices, such as old console controllers.
Micro-USB
The USB Implementers Forum (IF) first announced the micro-USB in 2007. That was a few months before the mini-USB’s official deprecation.
The USB-IF facilitated the move from mini to micro as the micro-USB was only half as thick as the mini version. The micro-A and B connectors are only 6.85 mm x 1.8 mm. This thinner profile made micro-USB the next best choice for smaller mobile devices.
Micro-A plugs have a service life rating of at least 10,000 plug-and-remove cycles. That’s double the rated lifespan of the mini-USB connectors.
Moreover, the micro-USB design helps reduce mechanical wear on the source/destination device. It does so by making the USB cable bear the burden of the wear caused by insertion and removal. However, this also means that the cable requires more frequent replacement.
One of the most common partners of micro-USB connectors is the USB-A plug. You’ll also find them in micro-A to micro-B versions and micro-B to USB-C pairings.
USB Type-C
As life-changing as the USB-A technology is, it did make cable connections confusing. For starters, it was almost impossible to get the USB-A cable orientation right the first time. It also gave rise to the need for multiple, messy cable connections.
For this reason, the USB-IF improved upon the USB-A technology and invented the USB-C plug. The USB-IF has over 700 member companies that helped push the USB-C technology. Apple, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Samsung, and Intel are to name a few.
USB-C became the standard USB technology after its finalization in 2014. Since then, more companies incorporated its use, and Intel even made its own version.
The USB Type-C technology combines power, data transfer, and display delivery. You can use it to charge devices, move files from one device to another, and even hook up a source to a display. As such, you’ll find USB-C in smartphones, computers, consoles, and headphones.
What sets USB-C apart is its standardized, reversible form factor. It’s reversible because it’s tiny metal receptacle is oblong. So, no matter the orientation you plug it in, it should go in without any problem.
The USB-C port also boasts a 100-watt connection. This allows for some of the quickest charging and data transfer times. In fact, it can supply the power demands of larger devices, such as televisions.
You can also use standard USB-C technology to transfer up to 10 gigabits of data per second (Gbps). You can also enjoy 4K video by hooking up a device using a USB-C cable to external monitors.
Thunderbolt 3 Connector
Thunderbolt 3 is Intel’s take on the USB-C technology. It looks exactly the same, given that it’s a physical mimicry of the USB Type C technology. This bus technology can do everything a USB-C port can, albeit faster.
For instance, Thunderbolt 3’s can transfer up to 40 Gbps of data, which, compared to USB-C, is four times faster. You can also use it to connect expansion hubs, docks, and external monitors.
The main issue with Thunderbolt 3 is that only a handful of devices support its use, such as MacBooks. This lends the T3 connector an air of “prestigiousness.” Note as well that not all USB-C cables work on T3 ports.
Lightning Connector
Lightning is Apple’s proprietary bus technology, so it’s only in Apple products. Like the USB-C and Thunderbolt connectors, though, it’s also reversible. It’s a charger and data transfer cable for iPhones, iPads, EarPods, Magic keyboards, and mice.
Lightning connectors have 8 pins on their square-shaped metal receptacle. This is 22 pins less than the preceding 30-pin dock connector. The male end is symmetrical, so you can insert it into a female Lightning port in any orientation.
Lightning comes with a built-in digital audio converter. Thanks to this cool tool, Apple’s earphones and headphones provide better sound quality.
USB Hubs and Docks
USB hubs and docks are external devices that expand port compatibility in devices. The primary difference is that a hub is smaller than a dock, and it pulls power from a device. By contrast, docks, also known as docking stations, usually have their own power supply.
Both USB hubs and docks allow you to connect peripherals with varying plugs into a “single” port.
Suppose you have a 2019 MacBook Air, which only has two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Let’s also assume that you need to connect peripherals that use USB-A connectors.
In the above scenario, you can connect a hub with a T3 connector to one of your MacBook’s T3 ports. You can then plug in your USB-A peripherals into one of the hub’s ports. In doing so, you can sync and use those USB-ended external devices with your Mac.
Get the Right Types of USB Connectors for Your Devices
There you have it, your ultimate guide on the different types of USB connectors you can find today. Now, you know that there are at least five USB-type connectors, plus two others that work like them.
The most important thing is to always use the right connector, lest you want to damage your device. Also, as much as possible, always use the cables that came with the device itself.
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