USB - History & Timeline

USB connectors are one of GCT's core product categories and over the years, we have built up a lot of knowledge and expertise on these popular connectors.

Here is a summary of USB and all of it's variants and versions, including a timeline overview marking key milestones for one of the worlds most recognisable set of connectors.

View all USB Products

History

USB (Universal Serial Bus) was originally developed and introduced in 1996 as a way of setting up communication between a computer and peripheral devices by replacing many varieties of serial and parallel ports.

USB connectors have become the standard connection method for devices such as keyboards, game pads & joysticks, scanners, digital cameras, printers and external hard drives.

Although designed for personal computers USB has become commonplace on other devices such as mobile phones, tablets, video game consoles, AC power adaptors, memory sticks and mobile internet access dongles. It's very likely that you will come across a USB technology across a broad range of markets and applications.

USB Timeline

1996
- initial release
Form Factor
Standard (Full size)
Types
 
Type A plug & receptacle
Type B plug & receptacle
USB Software Version
1.0
Data Transfer Speed
1.56 Mbits/s
Power Transfer Rate
100 mA
1998
- USB Specification 1.1 Introduced
- Data transfer rate increased
USB Software Version
1.1
Data Transfer Speed
12 Mbits/s
Power Transfer Rate
100 mA
2000
- USB Specification 2.0 introduced
- USB Mini Introduced
- USB High Speed Introduced
Form Factor
Mini
Types
 
 
Mini Type A plug & receptacle
Mini Type B plug & receptacle
Mini Type AB receptacle
USB Software Version
2.0
Data Transfer Speed
480 Mbits/s (USB High Speed)
Power Transfer Rate
500 mA
2007
- USB Micro introduced
- USB On-The-Go introduced
Form Factor
Micro
Types
 
 
Micro Type A plug
Micro Type B plug & receptacle
Micro Type AB receptacle
USB Software Version
2.0
Data Transfer Speed
480 Mbits/s (USB High Speed)
Power Transfer Rate
500 mA
2008
- USB Specification 3.0 introduced
- USB SuperSpeed introduced
- USB SuperSpeed Types introduced
Form Factor
Standard & Micro SuperSpeed
Types
 
 
 
 
SS Type A plug & receptacle
SS Type B plug & receptacle
SS Micro Type A plug
SS Micro Type B plug & receptacle
SS Micro Type AB receptacle
USB Software Version
3.0
Data Transfer Speed
5 Gbits/s (USB SuperSpeed)
Power Transfer Rate
Up to 900 mA
2013
- USB Specification 3.1 introduced
- USB SuperSpeed+ (SS+) introduced
USB Software Version
3.1
Data Transfer Speed
10 Gbits/s (USB SuperSpeed+)
Power Transfer Rate
Up to 1.5A
2014
- USB Type C introduced
Form Factor
Type-C
Types
Type-C plug & receptacle
USB Software Version
3.1
Data Transfer Speed
10 Gbits/s
Power Transfer Rate
Up to 3A
2017
- USB Specification 3.2 introduced
USB Software Version
3.2
Data Transfer Speed
20 Gbits/s
Power Transfer Rate
Up to 5A
2019
- USB Specification 4 introduced
USB Software Version
4.0
Data Transfer Speed
40 Gbits/s
Power Transfer Rate
Up to 5A
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