One minor inconvenience that I find myself running into on a daily basis is sifting through the plethora of cables that I need to power my tech. Some days, I fumble through my bookbag, trying to get my headphones, but they are entwined with five other cables, all used for similar functions on different devices. So today, I wanted to offer up a concept: One cable to rule them all. We are coming closer to living that reality with the emergence of the USB type C standard.
USB type C is a revolutionary standard. It is smaller than the regular USB type A, which is what most common folks just refer to as a “USB cable.” This USB type C standard is also a little bit bigger than mobile USB cables (micro-USB and mini-USB; “phone chargers” in most common terms). So what we are looking at with USB type C is a cable that is in between the mobile and desktop computer versions of today’s common USB.
USB type C can both ideally connect to both your phone and your computer for transferring data. The cable is also completely reversible just like Apple’s lightning cable, another handy feature. But the greatest aspect of USB type C is its versatility. This is a standard that has the capability to charge a laptop or phone, carry audio and video signals (goodbye HDMI and headphone jacks) and transfer data at high speeds (I’m talking about the power of Thunderbolt 3, which really fulfills all of the promises of USB type C for computer enthusiasts). This is going to be the one cable for them all.
USB type C has been around since 2015, but there have been some roadblocks in implementation. Firstly, not all USB type C cables are the same. Some don’t support all of the features mentioned above, as companies just slapped on the accessory to seem more marketable.
Secondly, it is going to take time for everyone to adopt this new standard. There are many products out there that still use the older, larger USB ports, along with the plethora of other ports that we see today for power delivery, audio and video delivery and other use cases. Also, arguably the front-runner in technology, Apple, has yet to fully adopt USB type C. The company has started to implement the standard for its computers, but all of its phones still use Apple’s lightning cable.
I would very much like to see Apple fully embrace USB type C in all of its devices. I am asking for this because, when Apple makes a design change, many other companies follow, especially when it comes to smartphones.
We are getting closer and closer to a “one cable for them all” reality, but some critical steps need to be taken. Who knows, maybe as the next 10 years progress, my cable pile will continue to shrink and shrink until it becomes essentially one or two USB type C cables. But I sure hope that technology companies come together and really push for the one cable future that we as consumers all need and deserve.
