USB Type-C to Micro USB is among the most common smartphone cables used in Canada today. Examining the ports and connectors of both standards, there are some key differences that many tech fans may note.

 

For years, Micro-USB was the reliable standard for smartphones and cell phones. Then along came the newer, more advanced Type-C ports. Today, most of us use what is called Type-B micro USB which is somewhere in between the two. As more of us move to Type-C however, the main advantage compared to its predecessor is that Type-C is reversible. That means finagling with the cable to get it to plug in the right way is no longer needed. No matter what direction it is plugged in, Type-C charges devices equally.

 

Type-C has built itself on the backs of previous USB technology, taking things beyond what some may have hoped for decades earlier. Universal Serial Bus (USB) was invented in 1994 by a vast collection of companies seeking a single cable to connect devices, transferring data and charge as appropriate. This led to the development of over a dozen USB standards in the decades that followed.

 

For those that do not know much about the differences between Type-C and previous standards, it bears noting what exactly USB-C is. USB Type-C refers specifically to the connector type used on the cable and does not in fact refer to the internal specifications. For the internal specifications, Type-C cables are commonly combined with USB 3.0 which boasts speeds up to 5 Gbps or USB 3.1 which has speeds up to 10 Gbps. Most recently, USB 3.2 has been announced with speeds of up to 20 Gbps however very few cables are equipped with this much advanced technology.

 

Now let’s talk a little bit about micro USB. As numerous companies came out with their own USB style cables, micro USB eventually became the standard for smartphones due to its sleek design and compatibility. Type-C builds from micro USB inspiration and allows for faster data transfer than is otherwise possible. Type-C is also so powerful that it can even charge a laptop and potentially more devices. Micro USB features such a limited design that even though it was so convenient and advanced at the time, it no longer has that same impressiveness to it.

 

Today, Type-C is the go-to, one-size-fits-all cable that has replaced predecessors for smartphones, game controllers, HDMI, cameras, laptops, printers, scanners, and numerous other USB-dependent devices that are out there in the marketplace.