USB-C Update Expected to Make iPhone Data Transfers 2X Faster

USB-C Update Expected to Make iPhone Data Transfers 2X Faster
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Good news for those who hate waiting for files to transfer: the USB 3.0 Promoter Group announced a new specification of its standard on Wednesday, which promises to give a significant boost to cable performance and speeds across its lineup.

While USB 3.2 is technically an incremental update, it’s one that’ll basically double performance for cables — particularly of the USB-C variety. While USB 3.1 topped out at 10 gigabits per second (Gbps), the new update will allow for speeds up to 20 Gbps, the Promoter Group wrote in a press release. That performance bump will obviously come in handy when transferring data between devices or backing up a computer to an external hard drive.

The update works by taking advantage of the USB-C standard’s multi-lane specifications. While USB-C was designed with multi-lane performance in mind, USB 3.2 finally delivers on that promise — with up to two lanes of 5 Gbps or two lanes of 10 Gbps operation. It’s the “next level of performance,” according to the USB 3.0 Promoters Group, an organization made up of Apple, HP, Intel, Microsoft and other high-profile tech companies.

Interestingly, there have been rumors that this year’s iPhone 8 (a.k.a. iPhone Edition or iPhone X) will be the first Apple flagship to make the switch to USB-C. To be clear, that means Lightning-to-USB-C, rather than USB-A-to-USB-C. Such a move on Apple’s part would make sense, as the company’s new lineup of MacBook uses Thunderbolt 3 — a standard that shares the same port design as USB-C. Yes, that could mean future iPhones will connect to your MacBook without a dongle.

It’s worth noting that, even if the 2017 iPhone has a USB-C connector, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get doubled performance right away. Today’s announcement of USB 3.2 is just an unveiling of the update, it won’t hit consumer devices right away. The non-profit USB Implementers Forum, a separate organization from the Promoters Group, needs to decide on marketing and branding plans before it rolls out USB 3.2. The soonest you’ll get it, realistically, is a couple of years from now.

Of course, this year’s flagship iPhone is already rumored to have incredibly fast wired speed performance thanks to its switch to USB-C and the addition of a specialized power delivery chip. In addition to wired charging, the iPhone 8 is also largely expected to be the first iPhone to sport inductive wireless charging.

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