USB 3.2 announced, packs double the bandwidth of USB 3.1

USB 3.2 is on its way, with the official USB 3.0 Promotor Group that is a team effort between Apple, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and other companies, have announced the USB 3.2 specification.

USB 3.2 is an exciting leap over USB 3.1, with USB 3.2 being an incremental upgrade that will define multi-lane operation for USB 3.2 hosts and devices. USB Type-C already supports multi-lane operation, but USB 3.2 makes it easier by allowing hosts and devices to be created as multi-lane solutions, which will provide 2 x 5Gbps lanes, or two lanes at 10Gbps each.

The current-gen USB 3.1 cables can only drive 10Gbps, but this new upgrade will see USB 3.2 to USB 3.2 devices have up to 2GB/sec of bandwidth. USB 3.2 cables will be backwards compatible with other USB devices, with USB 3.0 Promoter Group Chairman, Brad Saunders, explaining: "When we introduced USB Type-C to the market, we intended to assure that USB Type-C cables and connectors certified for SuperSpeed USB or SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps would, as produced, support higher performance USB as newer generations of USB 3.0 were developed. The USB 3.2 update delivers the next level of performance".

There will be more details on the upcoming USB 3.2 specification during USB Developer Days 2017 later this year.