USB 3.0 Will Offer a 10X Speed Boost Over USB 2.0

Intel and a group of companies including HP, Microsoft, NEC, and Texas Instruments have begun developing the successor to USB 2.0. The third generation of USB will transfer data at speeds of up to 4.8 gigabits per second, ten times faster than USB 2.0’s 480-megabits-per-second transfer rate. The new standard will be backward-compatible with existing USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 devices.

According to Intel, the USB 3.0 specification will be designed for low power consumption and improved efficiency. USB 3.0 ports and cabling will be designed with both copper and optical cable capabilities, so even higher speeds will be possible in the future.



Updates are also planned for the Wireless USB (WUSB) transfer format, which currently operates at the same 480-mbps speed as USB 2.0. A new WUSB 1.1 interconnect format will operate at speeds of up to 1 gbps.

Jeff Ravencraft , Intel’s technology strategist, cites increasing interest in digital music and high-definition video as the main reason for updating the USB standard. Th e group hopes to have a final specification ready by the middle of next year.

Credits: http://harddrives.cari.sg/2007/11/16/usb-30-will-offer-a-10x-speed-boost-over-usb-20/
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/58765
http://www.usb.org/usb30