Some good news has finally arrived for data hoarders, who like to transfer gigabytes worth of data from their computers or smartphones. A new announcement indicates that with the new USB generation users can transfer files at a rate of 20 GBPS. This is almost double that of the speeds with which the current generation of Usb can transfer data.
Data transfers twice as fast
Although the announcement of the capabilities of the USB 3.2 system is tentative at this point, experts are sure that the USB C cable in conjunction with USB 3.2 will be able to improve data transfer speeds drastically.
The USB 3.1 technology in use today only offers users a maximum speed of 10 Gbps when it comes to file transfers. While this is in no way a very slow speed, it does take a lot of time for people to transfer files weighing hundreds of gigabytes.
However, the new USB 3.2 in development has found a way to squeeze the maximum speeds possible from the USB C connectors used today, by making use of the unutilized wires present in the connectors. USB Implementer’s Forum, the group behind the breakthrough technology, has however shied away from officially promising the 20 Gbps speeds. For the time being, it will have to focus on marketing the new technology before making any promises as to the speeds they will deliver.
The extra speed will be crucial for people who frequently backup their data from one drive to another, or have to transfer high-quality pictures from their cameras. Another advantage of USB 3.2 is the fact that it will be able to make use of the USB C cable and connections without requiring updates. However, it was clearly stated that the earlier USB A or USB B cables will not be supported, as they do not have the required amount of wires to carry the extra data.
How soon will the technology arrive in the markets?
While all of the added transfer speed is a boon, the USB Implementer’s Forum was quite clear on the fact that the new technology will not be arriving anytime soon. USB IF Chairman Brad Saunders stated that it will take at least 12 to 18 months before the first devices capable of implementing the USB 3.2 system will arrive in the market.
However, whenever the technology may arrive, the good news is that it will work with the USB C configuration only without needing an upgrade. USB C connectivity in devices manufactured throughout 2017 has also increased and is expected to keep on growing till 2021.
