(CNN) -- As mobile devices get increasingly slimmer, so too will their corresponding USB connectors.
Even better, you won't have to flip the cable when you try to slip it in upside down. Finally.
Development for the
next-generation USB connector, called the Type-C, is underway and will
be thinner and sleeker than current USB 3.0 cables (pictured above),
according to the USB 3.1 Promoter Group, which is made up of industry heavy hitters including Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Intel.
To pack the powerful
punch of the USB 3.1 standard, which can move data at 10 gigabits per
second, into a smaller cable, it will closely resemble the USB 2.0
Micro-B.
But it has a few
advantages over existing models: Specifically, it's reversible, meaning
users no longer need to worry about plug orientation.
The plug design is
similar to Apple's Lightning cables and will take away one of USB's main
frustrations. The downside is that the new cables won't work with
existing connectors.
The Type-C connector is
built on existing USB 3.1 and USB 2.0 technologies and will have
scalable power capabilities, meaning it will be able to charge a wide
range of gadgets.
"While USB technology is
well established as the favored choice for connecting and powering
devices, we recognize the need to develop a new connector to meet
evolving design trends in
terms of size and usability," said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group
Chairman, in a statement. "The new Type-C connector will fit well with
the market's direction and affords an opportunity to lay a foundation
for future versions of USB."
The organization said the Type-C connector will be completed by mid-2014.
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Teknologi
