USB 3.0 brings optical connection in 2008
Update: I added some details about USB 3.0 device availability and performance. — SAN FRANCISCO—Intel and others plan to release a new version of the ubiquitous Universal Serial Bus technology in the first half of 2008, a revamp the chipmaker …
Context & Ripple Effects
At its fall 2007 Developer Forum, Intel turned the keynote into a full platform-roadmap showcase — Pat Gelsinger demonstrated USB 3.0 alongside a Superspeed USB effort announced with industry partners, plus PCIe 3.0, while Paul Otellini presented Nehalem, the Silverthorne system-on-chip and Larrabee. The USB 3.0 plan stands out within that lineup because it changes the physical layer, not just the speed numbers: the revamped Universal Serial Bus would carry an optical connection, with release targeted for the first half of 2008.
Why it matters now: USB is the default peripheral interface across the industry, so an Intel-backed revamp with optics attached forces every PC maker, chipset vendor and device manufacturer onto a new adoption cycle rather than leaving them on the familiar wired standard.
First-order effects
- PC and peripheral manufacturers face a concrete H1 2008 target for USB 3.0 products, meaning design and qualification work on optical-capable ports and devices has to start immediately after the IDF demonstration.
Second-order effects
- Chipset and component suppliers gain a new product category in hybrid electrical-optical interconnect hardware, while rival interface camps — notably FireWire's backers — come under pressure to answer with their own speed roadmap to stay relevant for high-bandwidth storage and video gear.
Third-order effects
- If the pattern holds, Intel's cadence of tying major I/O revamps to its silicon roadmap turns interconnect standards into a lever of platform control, with optical signalling becoming the default path for consumer peripheral bandwidth growth.
The trend: Consumer interconnect standards are being re-engineered around optical signalling, with Intel using I/O refreshes as part of its broader platform strategy.