USB-C
USB-C, or USB Type-C, is a connector (not a protocol) that supersedes previous USB connectors and can carry audio and/or video data, e.g. to drive multiple displays, or transfer data, e.g. to store a backup to an external drive, and providing/receiving power, such as to power a laptop or a mobile phone. It is not only applied by the USB technology, but is also used by other protocols including Thunderbolt, PCIe, HDMI, DisplayPort, and others. It is extensible to support future standards. USB-C is reversible and has 24 pins. The designation "C" is to distinguish it from the many various former USB connectors it replaced, all termed either Type-A or Type-B. Whereas earlier every USB cable had a host end A and a peripheral device end B, USB-C replaces both; a USB-C cable connects either way, and for older equipment a legacy cable has a Type-C plug at one end and either a Type-A (host) or a Type-B (peripheral device) plug at the other. The designation "C" refers only to the connector's physical configuration, or form factor, not to be confused with the connector's specific capabilities, such as Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 2.0, or USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. Based on the supported protocols by both devices, host and peripheral device, a USB-C connection normally provides (much) higher signaling and therefore data rates than the superseded connectors. Unlike its predecessors, the USB-C connector has rotational symmetry: a plug may be inserted into a receptacle in either of two orientations. The USB Type-C Specification 1.0 was published by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and was finalized in August 2014. It was developed at roughly the same time as the USB 3.1 specification. In July 2016, it was adopted by the IEC as "IEC 62680-1-3". A device with a Type-C connector does not necessarily implement any USB transfer protocol, USB Power Delivery, or any of the Alternate Modes: the Type-C connector is common to several technologies while mandating only a few of them. USB 3.2, released in September 2017, fully replaced the USB 3.1 specification. It preserves previously called USB 3.1 SuperSpeed and SuperSpeed+ data transfer modes and introduces two additional data transfer modes by newly applying two-lane operations, with signaling rates of 10 Gbit/s (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps; nominal data rate: 1.212 GB/s) and 20 Gbit/s (SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps; nominal data rate: 2.422 GB/s). They are only applicable with Full-Featured USB-C Fabrics (connectors and cables) on both ends. USB4, released in 2019, is the first USB transfer protocol standard that is only available exclusively via USB-C Fabrics. Overview USB-C cables interconnect hosts and peripheral devices, replacing various other electrical cables and connectors, including all earlier (legacy) USB connectors, HDMI connectors, DisplayPort ports, and 3.5 mm audio jacks. Name USB Type-C and USB-C are trademarks of the USB Implementers Forum. Connectors The 24-pin double-sided connector is slightly larger than the micro-B connector, with a USB-C receptacle measuring wide, high, and deep. Two kinds of connectors exist, plug and receptacle; the gender terms female and male