USB Type-C is becoming more and more popular among hand-held devices. However, notebook and all-in-one PC vendors still hesitate to accept it as a new standard. Developed in August 2014 the technology has conquered quite a number of devices already, including revolutionary new MacBook. Yet high production cost and design complications prevent the technology from spreading.
Sources from analogue IC markets acknowledge that use of USB Type-C interface has become a trend in industries where high-speed data transaction and portability are the priority. High-speed data transfer also makes the technology universal, suitable for data, sound and video data streaming. Potentially, USB Type-C is capable of becoming a universal interface. May even replace a plethora of connections for video and data input/output in the future. For example, it has been widely adopted in virtual reality (VR) equipment. Consequently, growth in VR industry has boosted USB Type-C implementation. However, notebook vendors are still conservative about the interface. The USB Type-C technology is unlikely to become mainstream in the notebook market until 2017.
Firstly, the interface requires a larger current than a previous-generation technology. Larger current (up to 100 Watts, in comparison with 2.5 Watts in USB2.0) in its turn generates more heat. Consequently, heat dissipation becomes problematic in the devices that use many of these ports at once. Secondly, USB Type-C features a high-speed transmission, but in order to achieve its maximum speed, it requires an amplifier chip, a receiver chip and a special-spec transmission wire. This raises product costs significantly.
Apple, Asustek Computer, Hewlett-Packard (HP) – are the pioneers in the implementation of the new interface. While Lenovo, Acer and Dell are still celebrating it.
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