Next Up? SuperSpeed USB 3.0 with Double the Speed

Related: USB

The USB 3.0 Promoter Group today announced development of a SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) enhancement that will add a much higher data rate, delivering up to twice the data through-put performance of existing SuperSpeed USB over enhanced, fully backward compatible USB connectors and cables. This supplement to the USB 3.0 specification is anticipated to be completed by the middle of this year.

Key characteristics of the higher-rate SuperSpeed USB solution include:

New 10 Gbps USB data rate
Compatibility with existing cables and connectors
Improved data encoding for more efficient data transfer leading to higher through-put and improved I/O power efficiency
Compatible with existing USB 3.0 software stacks and device class protocols
Compatible with both existing 5 Gbps and new 10 Gbps USB 3.0 hubs and devices, as well as USB 2.0 products

"With USB technology continuing to be the data and power delivery path of choice across personal computing and consumer electronics, we are always looking ahead to how to best improve user experience and connectivity performance," said Brad Saunders, USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman. "Doubling SuperSpeed USB performance will be especially beneficial for emerging USB docking and storage applications."

"For our customers, 10 Gbps USB represents an important evolution in this ubiquitous I/O standard," said Mark VandenBrink, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, PC Global Business Unit, HP. "By doubling the bandwidth while maintaining full backwards compatibility with the broad ecosystem of USB peripherals and software, we will be able to better meet the needs of our customers with this high-speed technology."

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