If you look at your computer's roster of ports, you're likely to see at least three different types: one for charging, a standard USB port, and a Thunderbolt port. But the tech industry just took a big step toward eliminating the need for more than one kind of port, bringing a world where you only need one cable for everything that much closer.

Intel announced on Tuesday that Thunderbolt 3, an update to its speedy transfer tool, will change its form factor to work with USB Type-C, according to Ars Technica UK. It's another step toward universal adoption of the tiny, versatile connector. It will no longer use the blocky mini Displayport standard, which itself has already switched to the USB Type-C port.

Thunderbolt 3 can also move data twice as fast as the previous version, with speeds now up to 40gbps. It'll support up to two external 4k monitors or one 5k monitor. Thunderbolt 3 cables won't work with USB Type-C ports already in the wild, but we could start seeing support for it in computers as early as 2016.

USB Type-C is being hailed as a game-changer in technology circles. It's slim and a little wider than Lightning ports currently used in iPhones. Its ability to support things like charging, fast data transfers, and multiple screens has people hoping it will replace all other connectors.

Google shows off its new charging standard for Android.

The two biggest companies in tech are also throwing their weight behind the standard.

Earlier this year, Apple made USB Type-C the only port on its new Macbook. Apple has been an enthusiastic Thunderbolt supporter, including it in its computers since 2011. Now that Thunderbolt and Type-C are one, it won't come as a surprise to see the standard in future Macs.

Meanwhile, at Google I/O last week, the company announced that Type-C would be the new standard port for future Android phones, a move likely to bring USB Type-C into the mainstream.