We’ve been keeping a close eye on the development the USB Power Delivery Specification since word of the technology first emerged. The USB 3 promoters group and USB Implementers Forum have announced that the specification is now completed, marking a major milestone on the path towards product development.
The specification is designed to facilitate a new generation of USB products that are able to deliver up to 100 Watts of power. This is a massive increase over the 4.5 Watt maximum output that USB 3 is currently capable of, and is a response to a rise in the number of devices that charge via USB. This new specification purely covers power delivery, and doesn’t alter the data transfer aspects of USB 3.
What this design will allow is more flexibility when charging devices like tablets and laptops, as well as the potential to power a wider range of devices than it currently can. For end users this means an end to having to use multiple power bricks for peripherals like external hard drives, and potentially even monitors and printers.
It will still be a while until products that support the increased power output hit the market; these kinds of standards often take years to appear. But the finalisation of the specification is a very significant milestone, ensuring that 100 Watt USB will indeed happen.
