USB 3.0 ports started appearing in greater numbers on PC desktops and laptops in 2011. However, smartphones and tablets still have the much slower and older USB 2.0 ports. That means that users couldn't take advantage of the new and faster USB 3.0 ports to transfer files at a faster speed. Now PCWorld.com reports that USB 3.0 ports are slated to appear on new smartphones and desktops but it's going to take a while.
During a forum held at CES 2012 on Sunday, Rahman Ismail, chief technology officer of the USB Implementers Forum, said that USB 3.0 would start appearing on smartphones at tablets by the end of 2012. That means that the first USB 3.0 supported smartphone is still several months to almost a year away.
On the PC, USB 3.0 is capable of data speeds that can reach, in theory, 5 Gbps. Even though a smartphone with a USB 3.0 will have data speeds that will be faster than the current 2.0 port, they won't be able to reach the speeds of the PC version. The limit for the smartphone speed will be about 800 Mpbs.
Even with that speed limit, it will still be a lot faster to transmit data over USB 3.0 smartphone and tablet connections. Ismail says, "What takes 15 minutes will roughly take 1 minute and 10 seconds." In addition, power recharge rates will also take less time over a USB 3.0 smartphone connection.
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