The USB Promoter Group this week announced the successor to USB4, which will deliver data transfer speeds of up to 80 Gbps, double that of USB4. It’s called USB4 Version 2.0.

“Once again following USB tradition, this updated USB4 specification doubles data performance to deliver higher levels of functionality to the USB Type-C ecosystem,” USB Promoter Group Chairman Brad Saunders says. “Solutions seeing the most benefit from this speed enhancement include higher performance displays, storage, and USB-based hubs and docks.”

The most interesting aspect of this announcement, perhaps, is that USB4 Version 2.0 will deliver its 80 Gbps of data transfer speeds using existing USB-C cables that were designed for USB4. These cables are now referred to as being passive, as compared to a coming generation of active USB4 Version 2.0 cables.

As expected, USB4 Version 2.0 will also be backward compatible with previous-generation USB peripherals based on USB4, USB 3.2, USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt 3.

It’s not clear when we’ll see USB 4 Version 2.0 products in the market: The USB Promoter Group has scheduled two events for November and says this initial announcement targets developers. So 2023 seems like a reasonable time frame.

Tagged with USB, USB4, USB4 Version 2.0