New USB Type C Connector Lets You Insert USB In Any Orientation

One of the chief annoyances about USB cables is that they can only be plugged in one way—and you will invariably try to plug a USB cord in the wrong way at least once before succeeding. That's one of the problems the USB Promoter Group hopes to solve with the just-announced USB Type-C connector, which like Apple's Lightning connector will be reversible so that there's no "wrong" way to plug it in. The new connector is described as a "supplement to the USB 3.1 specification" and its design should be finalized by the middle of 2014.

The Type-C USB connector is meant to be used to deliver power, data and video across all devices without the need for another connector, the group said. It will however not work with existing USB plugs. The specification will define new-to-existing cables and adapters to allow users to use their existing products, the group said.