While the ubiquity of the USB-C port for all phones (and most other devices) is a good thing, it is imperative to label USB-C cables to understand their full capabilities.
First of all, USB-C is simple. You can probably grab any USB-C cable you have lying around to charge your compatible phone. However, if you are not very careful, the cable and power adapter combination may not charge your device at the optimal speed. In fact, it may not adapt to your phone’s standards and charging speed.
A cable that can do everything
In addition to charging, a USB-C cable can also transfer data at very high speeds and even control screens. But how do you know if this cable reaches the charging capacity of the device you are charging?
For example, Apple has launched two new cables with charging power of 60W and 240W respectively. Below are the images from the product page. You may notice that one of the cables seems thicker, but there is no specification or marking indicating the speed in gigabits per second.
Side-by-side mounting of two types of USB-C cables sold by Apple, the 60W on the right, the thicker 240W on the left
Optional quick cables
Although Apple introduced the USB-C port with the iPhone 15, the base models will still benefit from USB 2.0 speeds for data transfers. Only the 15 Pro models support 10Gbps data transfer speeds – also known as “USB 3 speeds” – but you’ll need to buy a separate cable for that.
USB 3.0, 3.1, 3.2…
Since USB has multiple versions when it comes to data transfer, it’s hard to say whether Apple is trying to simplify or obscure things. Technically speaking, the USB 3.0 standard offers a speed of 5 Gbit/s. It was the USB 3.1 specification that introduced speeds of 10Gbps. Conveniently, USB 3.1 is also called USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 or USB 3.1 Gen 2 or SuperSpeed. There is also a USB 3.2 specification that supports data transfer speeds of 20 Gbps. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?
USB standard logos with power in watts and throughput in gigabits per second that should appear on the USB-IF packaging
A USB-C standard that borrows from Thunderbolt
The complexity doesn’t stop there; Although new standards like USB 4 share a port with Thunderbolt 4 or 5, the features differ. At the very least, Thunderbolt cables should be marked with a Thunderbolt logo.
USB-IF, the organization that certifies USB cables and sets standards as part of the USB Promoters Group, has attempted to address this issue by issuing guidelines for printing logos on packaging and cables. However, these guidelines are optional and many manufacturers do not display these logos often. With the new launch, Apple has also released a range of USB-C based accessories, but it is unclear whether there will be any labeling or visual marking indicating the different characteristics of a cable.
In addition, unlike Google’s ChromeOS system, operating systems do not inform us about the transfer or charging capabilities of a cable connected to the computer.
“power supply”
As I wrote in a previous article about travel accessories, you need a PD or Power Delivery notice on the packaging to get optimal charging capacity. Cables marked with PD are more robust, thicker and of better quality.
Apple’s introduction of USB-C for iPhones and AirPods is likely to prompt many accessory manufacturers to release numerous USB-C cables with different capacities. Manufacturers that are transparent by stating a cable’s capacity on the packaging and on the cable are likely to gain popularity as they make it easier for users to choose an appropriate product.
A small cable but integrating 2 pairs of 12-pin USB-IF
USB IF