Revealed: The reversible and slimmer USB plug that will replace ALL other connectors for PCs and smartphones



The USB Promoter Group unveiled its slimmer USB Type-C plug

Reversible design means days of jabbing at USB ports to make plugs fit will be over as the new design will work both ways

Next-generation plug is slimmer to fit smartphones, tablets and ultrabooks

As the new design is different to the current versions of USB plugs, users of older computing equipment will need an adapter to use the new plugs

Currently there are no plans for Apple to adopt the new standard



The final design of the new type of USB plug that will replace all other USB connectors, has been unveiled.



The USB Type-C plug is reversible so users will no longer have to stab blindly at USB ports in order to connect and charge gadgets, because plugs will fit in sockets in either direction.



The USB Promoter Group said that the next generation design is thinner than its predecessors so it can be used in increasing sleek smartphones, tablets and ultrabooks.



The USB-C plug is reversible and slimmer than previous standards. Different types of ports are also pictured. It is designed for slimmer smartphones, tablets and ultrabooks but older equipment will need an adapter

FEATURES OF USB TYPE-C PLUG The USB Type-C connector is a completely new design.

It has been designed for use with thinner, sleeker devices, such as tablets and ultrabooks.

It claims to be robust enough for laptops and slim enough for smartphones.

It is being built on existing USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 technologies.

The plug is smaller than current laptop connectors, and more closely resembles the size of the current 2.0 Micro USB.

Crucially, it will be reversible meaning it will work whichever way it is plugged in.

This is similar to how Apple's Lightning connector works.

‘The USB Type-C specification establishes a new cable and connector scheme tailored to fit mobile device product designs, yet robust enough for laptops and tablets,’ the San Francisco-based group said.



Reports of the fabled plug began in December last year and renderings of what it might look like leaked in April.



The USB 2.0 specification was released in 2000 and became the standard by the end of 2001, followed by USB 3.0 in 2008, and 3.1 in July 2013.



Apple uses its own Lightning Connector on newer models of iPhone and iPads, which can be inserted either way up.



The Type-C connector will work in a similar way, while resembling the size of the current Micro USB plug.

According to the group, the Type-C will be ‘the only connector one will need across all devices.’

In April, renderings were released shat showed a thinner USB dock, better suited for tablets and ultrabooks (illustrated). It is only now that the design and full specifications have been released

Crucially, however, because the new design is different to the current versions of USB plugs, users of older computing equipment will need an adapter to use the new plugs.



‘Interest in the USB Type-C connector has not only been global, but cross-industry as well,’ said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman.



‘Representatives from the PC, mobile, automotive and internet of things industries have been knocking down our door anticipating this new standard.'

It is anticipated that everyday devices connected to the internet, from smart light bulbs to smart fridges will become increasingly common in years to come, as more consumers embrace the internet of things.



'This specification is the culmination of an extensive, cooperative effort among industry leaders to standardise the next generation USB connector as a long-lasting, robust solution,’ he added.

