Computer Cables and Connectors – Modern users rarely have trouble finding a charger for their smartphones. The connector is now almost the same on all gadgets, which is very convenient. This does not mean, however, that it was and always will be. Read the article about the past and future of USB technology.
Mobile users in the 2000s had difficulties – they had to endure so-called Property . Each manufacturer’s phones were equipped with unique charging connectors – as a result, the charger, for example, for Nokia did not work with a Motorola phone. It was absurd – when I had to look for different chargers for two phones from one manufacturer (Finnish). User dissatisfaction was so strong that the European Parliament was forced to intervene.
Now the situation is completely different: almost all smartphone manufacturers equip their gadgets with ports for single-mode chargers . Users no longer need to buy new memory in addition to the phone.
Also Read : Track Your Daily Smartphone Usage With Digital Wellbeing – A Step-by-Step Guide
Table of Contents
What are the USB connectors for smartphones?
USB cables can be used not only to transfer data from a computer to a gadget, but also to charge a mobile device. Smartphones are able to replenish the “reserves” of the battery from the socket and computer, but in the second case, charging will take much longer. The traditional USB cable for a smartphone with Android or Windows Phone can be seen below. At one end there is a standard USB 2.0 type A plug :
This plug is inserted into the USB port of a computer or laptop.
At the other end of the cable is a microUSB plug .
It is properly inserted into the micro USB connector of the mobile device.
It is a micro USB 2.0, which is now a unified connector: it can be found on smartphones and tablets of almost all mobile device manufacturers (except Apple). An agreement on standardization of interfaces was signed in 2011 by representatives of 13 leading companies on the mobile telephony market.
Micro-USB was chosen for several reasons:
- The connector is shorted . Its physical dimensions are only 2 × 7 millimeters, which is about 4 times less than in the case of USB 2.0 Type-A .
- The plugin is durable – especially when compared to Nokia charging.
- The connector ensures fast data transfer. Theoretically, transfer speeds over Micro USB using the 2.0 standard can reach 480 Mbps. The actual speed is much lower (10-12 Mbit / s in full speed mode ), but this is rarely burdensome for users.
- The connector supports OTG function . We will tell you more about the benefits of it later.
Micro-USB competition in the fight for the role of a standard connector can impose a mini-USB . The mini plugin looks like this:
This type of Computer Cables and Connectors did not fit the standard and here’s why:
- Bigger connector – though not much. Its size is 3 × 7 millimeters.
- The connector is quite fragile – due to the lack of rigid fasteners, it is loosened very quickly. As a result, data transmission via cable becomes a real torment for the user.
In the 2000s, a mini-USB connector could be found on the smartphones of the “second category” manufacturers – say, Philips and Alcatel . Now mobile gadgets with a mini connector on the market can not find.
In addition to the USB connectors mentioned above (Micro-USB, Mini-USB, USB Type-A), there are other. For example , the micro-USB 3.0 standard can be used to connect hard drives and USB-B to the computer, and the type (square shape) – for musical instruments (for example, MIDI-keyboards). These connectors are not directly related to mobile technology (except for Galaxy Note 3 with USB 3.0), so we will not talk about them in more detail.
What are USB smartphone cables?
Thanks to the inexhaustible imagination of Chinese needlework, mobile users can buy cables of completely different formations. For example, in the age of decency, such a “monster” was extremely popular:
Yes, this fee applies to all major connectors!
Similar “multitools” are now on sale but have reduced plugins. Here is the 4 in 1 fee that can be ordered at GearBest for less than 15 USD:
This charge is equipped with all modern plugs – Lightning, 30Pin (both for iPhone), microUSB, USB 3.0. Definitely a must-have for the user!
There are other interesting options. Here is the OATSBASF cable for those who hate cables:
This is called a cable with a stretch function . Visually, it’s something like a Yo-Yo toy. The wire is pulled to the required length, and at the end of use it is wound. This is very convenient because the gadget owner does not have to constantly remove the coils of the wires. Minus stretch cable is the price : compared to conventional USB cables on GearBest, it is almost twice as expensive.
Here is another interesting solution offered by GearBest – a pocket key ring:
This cable allows you to charge two mobile devices from your computer at the same time (for example, the 5th iPhone and Android) and has a very tempting price – just over 50 USD.
Of course, in stores and home stores the user will not find as many different cables as on the pages of the GearBest and AliExpress catalogs . In addition, retail data equipment costs much more. For these two reasons, users are recommended to order USB cables from China.
What is the OTG standard?
Certainly many saw such a cable and wondered what it was for:
This is an OTG cable at one end – a micro-USB plug , at the other – a USB 2.0 connector , “mother”. By using such a cable to your smartphone or tablet, you can connect a USB flash drive, but only if the mobile device itself supports the OTG standard .
OTG (short for On-The-Go ) is a function designed to quickly connect two USB devices without using a computer. You can connect via OTG not only to a flash drive (although this is of course the most common case), but also, for example, a computer mouse, keyboard, external hard drive, gaming steering wheel, joystick. Just connect your smartphone to a printer or multifunction device to print a photo taken with the gadget’s camera.
There are also OTG cables for the iPhone, but placing them on an “apple” device (without jailbreaking) from external media only results in getting photos and videos – and then only if the root folders on the flash drive and the photos themselves have “correct” name.
There is no full list of smartphones that support the OTG function – simply because almost all modern gadgets can boast of this standard, and the list would be huge. However, a buyer who intends to connect a mouse or flash drive to the device should ask the salon consultant for OTG support before transferring the money – “only on fire”.
USB Type-C: what are the advantages?
The transition from micro USB to USB Type-C is a new trend on the mobile electronics market! Manufacturers are actively mastering technology and equip their flagship models with improved connectors for charging and transferring data. USB Type-C waited a long time in the shade: the connector was created in 2013, but it wasn’t until 2016. Market leaders noticed it.
USB Type-C looks like this:
What are the advantages of Type-C compared to ordinary micro-USB ?
- Fast data transfer . The Type-C bandwidth is 10 Gb / s (!). But this is only bandwidth : in fact, only owners of smartphones with a USB 3.1 standard , for example Nexus 6P and 5X, can count on such speed. If the gadget uses standard USB 3.0 , the speed will be around 5 GB / s; thanks to USB 2.0 , data transfer will be much slower.
- Fast charging . The duration of the smartphone charging procedure depends on the potential number of watts supplied by the connector. USB 2.0 can only deliver 2.5 watts – because it charges and lasts many hours. The USB type C connector provides 100 watts – (!), Which is 40 times. It is interesting that the transfer of electricity can occur in both directions – both for the host and from him.
- Symmetry Connector . If the micro-USB connector has upper and lower parts, the C-type connector is symmetrical. It does not matter which side to insert into the connector. From this point of view, USB Type-C technology is similar to Apple’s Lightning technology .
The Type-C advantage is also the small connector size – only 8.4 × 2.6 mm. According to this criterion, micro-USB and USB Type-C technologies are similar.
The USB type C port has drawbacks, one of which is more than significant. Due to unregulated connector operation, charging can easily “fry” a mobile device. This probability is not purely theoretical – the fires took place in practice. For this reason, the distribution of non-original “handiwork” cables and USB Type-C charging is prohibited.
The USB Type-C connector was first implemented on the following mobile devices: Microsoft Lumia 950XL , LG G5 SE , HTC 10 Lifestyle , Huawei Honor 8, Asus Zenfone 3 .
Conclusion
Despite the growing popularity of USB Type C, the standard Computer Cables and Connectors in the near future simply does not “sink into oblivion.” This is not just a subjective assumption, says J. Ravencraft, president of the USB Implementers Forum , which supports and develops USB technology. Ravencraft calls a completely crazy number – 20 billion ; according to its data, just as many devices in the world are now equipped with standard USB-A connectors.
Due to the mass nature of this new technology, they will introduce evolutionary, not revolutionary , so that users can independently see the benefits of Type-C and decide to opt out of the standard connector. In this case, Ravencraft admits that maybe a complete USB-A replacement will never happen.
Also Read : How to Fix Unable to Complete Format on USB Flash Drive
