Flashback: micro-USB brought order to charging and data transfer cables

14 February 2021
Previously, each manufacturer used a proprietary connector, created needless headaches. The U in USB stands for "universal". 

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  • 14 Feb 2021

jamesschwarz987, 14 Feb 2021Remember back when 3.5mm jack used to be exclusively availa... moreI had a sony ericsson with its own type of port.
For audio and charging.
That was bad, hard to find accessories if yours break.

    • Z
    • ZiiUno
    • r3a
    • 14 Feb 2021

    Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021USB-PD is so useless and lacking innovationInvent your own system so we can compare.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 043
      • 14 Feb 2021

      Now that you said it, I noticed my external HDD has microUSB 3.0. I always thought it had a proprietary cable and wondered why they still used a proprietary one these days. Now I also know that I can use any microUSB cable to connect it

        Remember back when 3.5mm jack used to be exclusively available only on higher end phones, Micro-USB wasn't cool yet and everyone got their very own propietary port?

          Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021No matter the price. No phone today should have microUSB.... moreI think:
          Price Matters.
          Quality Matters.
          Market Availability Matters.

          Micro USB-3 is a cable which is not Fake friendly. Since WD 2TB Ext. HDD which brought first wave of such cable, I was unable to find a low quality cable for it until GS5.

          USB C on the other hand has an extremely growing market of low quality cables since GA70 which its fast Charger is USB C in both side.

          Pricey piece of low quality cable which lasts maxmium 3 month and then start to connect/disconnet and later unable to fast charge.

          Many things matter before we can trust a new solution.

          If you need simplicity, wait for TWC (True Wireless Charger) and WiFi Direct. until then, mixed mode tech will kill monopoly.

          This year's "NO CHARGER, MORE EXPENSIVE, CUSTOMERS ARE SHEEP" trend has a clear point to be considered "Brands trust Chargers, Do not trust Cables" as they give you only a cable to charge.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • vG4
            • 14 Feb 2021

            Sambiguous, 14 Feb 2021Now the issue is proprietary charging standards My lapto... moreUSB-PD is so useless and lacking innovation

              Now the issue is proprietary charging standards

              My laptop and phone both use type C USB, but neither's charger can charge the other at full speed so I still have to take two chargers with me everywhere

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • vG4
                • 14 Feb 2021

                Someguy20, 14 Feb 2021The macro camera on the mi 11 actually works, unlike most p... moreYou don't even need macro and depth cameras in the first place.


                Wide Angle camera is actually macro Camera when you take pics much closer to subject.


                Telephoto camera serves as a better depth camera


                So Both Macro and Depth are Useless, Better alternatives are Laser autofocus/ToF.

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • nn8
                  • 14 Feb 2021

                  Someguy20, 14 Feb 2021The macro camera on the mi 11 actually works, unlike most p... moreThis thread is for micro usb not macro cameras

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                    • MrDong
                    • xZI
                    • 14 Feb 2021

                    Shame MicroUSB is prone to breakage. The charging port of my past Galaxy Note 3 came nearly loose. Glad switched to a Note FE with USB-C then.

                      Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021The 800 euros xiaomi mi11 has macro cam. Be sure OP9 has it... moreThe macro camera on the mi 11 actually works, unlike most phone in the 300$ segment

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • nn8
                        • 14 Feb 2021

                        Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021OnePluas was so far ahead in USB-C adoption way back with O... moreAlso Mi4c a month later. Back in the days no-one in the office had such cables 😂

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • JTy
                          • 14 Feb 2021

                          Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021Depth and macro are fading, see upcoming A52/72 as well as ... moreThe 800 euros xiaomi mi11 has macro cam. Be sure OP9 has it as well.
                          You can expect to see macro on all phones from Realme, Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi, Motorola, LG, Zte and Samsung that cost below $400.
                          Even on few models of higher price like HMD Nokia 8.x, LG Velvet 2 (if it shows up), "OP9 Lite", htc u21.

                          Only google, apple and sony do not have this useless thing.

                            Now that wireless data transfer is soooo fast, IMO phones should return back to DC plug for charging. It's kinda like 50 times stronger than any data connector.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • vG4
                              • 14 Feb 2021

                              Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021One Plus had 1 phone per year. But Samsung and Chines... moreDepth and macro are fading, see upcoming A52/72 as well as this year's flagships

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                                • cyber
                                • S2D
                                • 14 Feb 2021

                                type c will never be better than micro usb and lightning port,it is weak and fragile,10000 cycles are nowhere to be seen,the best guess is around the 1000 mark

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • mE0
                                  • 14 Feb 2021

                                  [deleted post]I prefer lightning port to USB c

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • JTy
                                    • 14 Feb 2021

                                    Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021OnePluas was so far ahead in USB-C adoption way back with O... moreOne Plus had 1 phone per year.

                                    But Samsung and Chinese brands still make phones with microUSB.
                                    They should not.
                                    Instead they spend money on useless macro 2MP cameras.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • vG4
                                      • 14 Feb 2021

                                      Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021No matter the price. No phone today should have microUSB.... moreOnePluas was so far ahead in USB-C adoption way back with OnePlus 2 in 2015!!!

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • TLP
                                        • 14 Feb 2021

                                        Anonymous, 14 Feb 2021No matter the price. No phone today should have microUSB.... moreif anything its more of a hassle to move to usb c or use a usb c low end device since so many budget devices still cling to microusb

                                        i have loads of microusb cables but only 1 usb c-usb c cable ☠

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