The war regarding whether Apple did or did not invent the USB-C connector witnessed a pretty decisive development this morning, as Apple was awarded a patent describing a slimline reversible input/output electrical connector for transferring a variety of data types including HDMI, audio, USB and video.
The patent was filed by Apple in the third quarter of 2013, but only published today. It names Eric Jol, Albert Golko, Mathias Schmidt and Jahan Minoo as its inventors: all current Apple employees, with the exception of Schmidt who now works at Nest Labs, founded by former Appler Tony Fadell.
USB-C was unveiled as Apple’s port of choice for its new super-thin MacBook at the company’s recent “Spring Forward” keynote. Among its many advantages is that it’s compact, super fast (roughly twice the speed of USB 3), can transfer power, and is reversible — so there’s none of the annoyance that comes with trying to plug a cable in upside down.
Given that Apple hopes the technology will become an industry standard, rather than just a proprietary one, the question of who invented it obviously carries considerable bragging rights.
Recently, Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber waved a red flag to anti-Apple bulls when he claimed that Apple essentially invented the technology, saying:
“I have heard, I can’t say who but lets call them informed little birdies, that USB-C is an Apple invention and that they gave it to the standards bodies … and that the politics of such is that they can’t really say that. They’re not going to come out in public and say that but that they did. It is an Apple invention and they want it to become a standard.”
While Gruber has since elaborated on his statement to point out that Apple wasn’t the only company to have a hand in USB-C, that hasn’t stopped other tech sites like BetaNews publishing reports to rubbish the suggestion that the tech is predominantly an Apple invention.
It should be noted that today’s patent isn’t even the first one related to a USB-C type technology on the part of Apple, however. In the middle of last year, the company was granted a patent dealing with a reversible USB connector with many of the design hallmarks of USB-C.
We won’t know for sure until someone breaks down the whole story behind USB-C, but the more time passes, the less and less likely it looks that Apple was simply a bit player in the development of this next-gen technology.
Via: Patently Apple
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
24 responses to “Is this proof that Apple invented USB-C?”
Just another way to make you pay more money and toss out the outdated toys. Next up is replacing the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 and your Apple Computers with another kind of connector maybe USB-C and tossing out your accessories again.
Apple didn’t invent it, it’s the next standard of USB after 3.0.
This was years in the making MORON. You have no proof that Apple did not make it.
The USB-IF launched the development of USB-C long before Apple joined the effort. Multiple connector concepts were developed and vetted which included numerous features including the ability to reverse the connector, the ability to support 2 communication lanes (only one is active today), the ability to support USB 3.1 @ 10 Gbps signaling, the ability to drive to higher signaling rates (20+ Gbps signaling in the future), the small size, the improved mechanical strength, etc.
When Apple joined the effort, they brought in top talent and helped accelerate and fund mechanical prototypes. They’ve done a lot of good work but they did not invent USB-C.
As for those who complain about leaving legacy behind, well, at some point it just make sense. It isn’t about money per se but about what impact all of those legacy connectors have on solution designs. They consume mechanical volume, they require motherboard routing and chipset support, they are fragile compared to USB-C, etc. USB-C also support the new USB PD power delivery which makes regulators around the world who want consistency and compatibility for all consumers very happy.
There is a lot to welcome about the new USB-C, USB-PD, and USB 3.1. All of it was invented by the USB-IF and its member companies. No single company has ever invented something like USB-C or any of the technologies specified by USB-IF.
Best to set the egos aside and accept that there are many talented people in multiple companies who deserve the credit for these technologies. Nothing bad to say about Apple and they’ve certainly got talented people who contributed to this effort.
Generally true but there’s almost always one company who does the heavy lifting on the development of any new standard.
And if you’re going to have to leave old cables behind this definitely looks like a great step forward into the future.
lmfao, if Apple made it why do plenty of other companies have it on their laptops? Just another blind Apple following idiot.
If Apple designed it and then submitted it to the USB-IF as a new standard, they would have released the rights for other companies to use it as well. That’s how standards work. And there are only a couple of other devices using it at the moment.
Other companies have it? When? Most of the laptops in best buy have usb 3.0 and 2.0.
There is also the Nokia N1 tablet that has it.
They will be selling butt hurt plans with this.
Apple didn’t make it, moron. It was on many other laptops before the MacBook ever came out.
Well SOMEBODY has to design these things. They don’t just appear out of thin air. And standards bodies like the USB-IF don’t design and build anything. They’re a body who designates and approves standards in keeping with their goals. There’s almost always one company who does the heavy lifting with any new standard. If it wasn’t Apple, then who was it?
You have a point, is there anyway to actually confirm Apple actually made it though?
yea this article and the mass amounts of patent applications
Yeah, search for it online. Recently, some website published the list of engineers involve in usb-c development. Apple had 23% of the engineers. The other big name was Intel. I think fell was there. There was not a single android OEM or other pc vendors.
Uhh, no. The MacBook is the first laptop to be released with USB-C. The Pixel was announced after the MacBook. The only moron here continues to be you.
Companies involved with the invention of USB Type-C:
Intel
Seagate
ACON
AMD
Agilent Technologies
Apple
Cypress Semiconductor
Dell
DisplayLink
Electronics Testing Center
Foxconn
Foxlink
Google
Granite River Labs
HP
Hirose Electric Co
Japan Aviation Electronics Industry
JPC/Main Super Inc
LeCroy Corporation
Lenovo
Lotes Co
LSI Coporation
Luxshare-ICT
MegaChips Corporation
Microchip (SMSC)
Microsoft
MQP Electronics
Nokia
Renesas Electronics
Rohm
Samsung
STMicroelectronics
Tektronics
Texas Instruments
Tyco Electronics
VIA Technologies
So… Yeah, I guess Apple DID invent it… Apple sheep make me so fkn sick… They will literally believe anything they are told…
“Repeat something enough, and people will eventually start to think it’s true.”
Hardly any engineers from most of those companies. Apple had 23% of workforce.
Wow… My comment was removed because I listed all of the companies involved in the creation of USB Type-C…???!?!?
I see your original comment…
Wow, you’re so cool. You must be really smart.
Apple’s moto is by our stuff because (even though it cost way more than anything else on the market) we are the best at everything. (whether its’ true or not, just trust us our thing is the best thing because WE said so) As an apple fan boy I tend to believe that often times even when faced with obvious truth about other products being superior. So if that’s Apple’s moto, why would they possibly not say “look at this new awesome technology that WE invented”? unless they didn’t. They obviously did some of the heavy lifting but clearly not all of it, maybe not even most of it.
Except they had more engineers involved than any other company. So if any one company gets to claim it, it’s Apple.