If youve ever used a computer, youve almost certainly used a USB gear.
But why is USB so standard?
Contents
History of USB
USB, short forUniversal Serial Bus, was introduced in the mid-1990s.
It was intended to connect peripherals to computers, providing communications and power.
Before this, there were a wide variety of connector standards in use.
Generally, these preceding standards were some combination of slower, larger, more expensive, or proprietary.
USB simplified everything and added some extra features too.
You might be able to guess from the word Universal in the name.
Its key selling points were that it was cheap, compact, and well-standardized.
Again, the small number of connectors meant that the physical plug could be relatively small.
This allowed more USB ports to be fitted to computers in the same space.
USB devices could have a small amount of onboard logic that automatically configures the connection with the computer.
USB devices are hot-swappable.
This means you could plug and unplug them without restarting the computer.
Serial Connectors
When USB was initially standardized, there was a single standard connector, throw in-A.
It featured two data pins and two other pins for power differential.
The following key in-B connector had the same pin structure but a different physical layout.
The connectors received a redesign when USB 3.0 was standardized.
Each connector throw in received an additional five connectors.
Two pairs were used for new high-speed data transfers, with the fifth used to ground the signaling lines.
The USB key in-C connector was introduced simultaneously as USB 3.1 and offered a radical new design.
Physically its much smaller than the key in-A connector.
At the same time, though, it also features far more connectors, a total of 24.
Additionally, as a massive usability win, its also reversible.
Within all the connectors, there are four pairs of data transmission wires.
However, these arent all intended to be used simultaneously.
Instead, theyre intended to be there no matter which way up the cable is plugged in.
Later generations of USB have allowed using multiple data pin pairs simultaneously.
This essentially doubles the bandwidth in one fell swoop.
These pairs of data pins are referred to as lanes.
Interestingly, the concept isnt that dissimilar to a parallel cable.
USB 3.0 made everything worse.
With USB 3.2, the standard naming scheme went out the window.
USB 3.2 gen 1 sounds better than USB 3.1.
Its not; its the same thing.
You also had USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB 3.2 Gen 12, and USB 3.2 Gen 22.
Unfortunately, thats not the case; both USB4 Gen 2 and USB Gen 3 have the x2 modifiers.
The scheme also offers new features, such as Display port passthrough and PCIe passthrough.
The most recent offense is the newest update to USB 4.
Any sane person would call it USB5 or USB4.1.
Not so the USB Implementors Forum; no, they named it USB4 2.0.
Conclusion
USB stands for Universal Serial Bus.
It is the standard connector for computer peripherals and other devices.
Current versions offer high-speed data transfers as well as high-power charging capabilities.
The standard was intended to replace the broad variety of connectors used previously with one that worked better.
It achieved market dominance but then developed its array of connectors.
To simplify the market once again, all previous connectors have been deprecated with the punch in-C connector.
This change brought benefits such as faster data speeds and a reversible connector.
