The 3.5mm round headphone jack with more than 50 years of history will eventually disappear, and it will replace it with a new star in the USB camp: USB Type C.
Major manufacturers have already invested in the USB Type C (hereinafter referred to as "USB-C"): Apple's MacBook, HP's Spectre notebook, Google Nexus 6P mobile phone, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone, Lenovo Moto Z mobile phone have used USB -C.
At Intel's IDF2016 Developers Conference on Tuesday, Intel's architects Brad Saunders and Rahman Ismail described the future of USB-C as an audio standard interface. It is reported that Intel hopes that the USB-C protocol will become a new industry standard and that it will reach an agreement with all headsets and audio manufacturers so that users can use it on any device when they purchase headphones, just like the current 3.5mm interface.
Moto Z USB-C interface
What is USB-C?
USB-C is an interface style. In the existing USB 3.1 standard, there are three interface styles: one is Type-A (standard-A, the most common USB interface style on traditional computers); the other is Type-B (both Micro-B, most of which are currently The interface style used by Android smart phones); the other is the protagonist of this article Type-C.
Different styles mean that the interface is not the same size, USB-C interface size is 8.4 mm x 2.6 mm, slightly larger than the Lightning interface.
One of the most obvious benefits is that it is a versatile interface that enables sound transmission, data transmission and charging. Combined with the introduction of Saunders and Ismail, USB-C has the following five major advantages.
1. The equipment is thinner and lighter
This is a direct advantage of reducing interfaces. This is reflected in Apple's Macbook. On the Apple 12-inch Macbook, only this interface and 3.5 mm interface are retained, and the body thickness is therefore lighter than ever.
2. Greatly improved sound quality
Compared to using 3.5mm analog audio signals, USB-C uses digital signals. Digital audio allows more types of sound processing, which means that users can enjoy the acoustics of a large concert hall without the need for expensive headphones or earphones. It also eliminates aircraft engines. Or the noise of a train boom.
Saunders said: "All this can happen only in the digital domain."
3. Convenient
Because the USB-C interface is the same as Apple's Lightning interface, there is no difference between the front and back, users do not have to tangle the embarrassing situation.
4. Fast charging
There is a new technology called "USB Power Delivery" that allows USB 3.0-compliant devices to transmit power up to 100 watts, which is not only sufficient for most computers and mobile phones on the market. Requirements can also produce faster charging speeds.
5. Fast transmission speed
USB-C's data transfer rate can reach 10Gbps, which means it can support higher resolution displays, but Ismail pointed out that this does not mean to replace HDMI. More importantly, USB-C can support the simultaneous output of images to multiple monitors via an adapter, and it also has the function of device authentication to provide better security.
Does USB-C have disadvantages? There are also. USB devices need to control the chip, the corresponding need to power, the PC is better to say, but for the phone will have a certain influence. But on this point, Sanders said they have modified the specification in USB-C. If the user does not use the microphone in the headset, the system will automatically turn off this feature to save power. "This impact on battery life is minimal," Sanders said.
What impact does it have on consumers?Consumers may need a long-term adaptation process. Because USB-C is incompatible with many existing devices on the market , you may have bought a new MacBook and a compatible USB HDD. However, when you go to the print shop, you find that your hard disk cannot be inserted into the printer. Shop computer. And if the 3.5mm headphone jack is missing, users will have to re-purchase new headphones. However, as previously mentioned by Saunders, if you want to enjoy high-quality music, you don't need to buy expensive headphones, which is very cost-effective for consumers.
Since the 1990s, the USB interface has gradually replaced many types of interfaces, such as keyboards, mice, printers, and gamepads, and the replacement of audio interfaces with USB-C interfaces is also a trend.
The popularity of USB-C is essentially a standard change, which involves reaching a consensus or compromise in the entire industry. USB-C is a trend, but it will take a while to wait.