The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), responsible for the development and publication of USB standards, has announced that USB 4.0 - initially announced in March of this year - has been finalized. The organization has published the final specification, which is now available for developers to download.
The highlight of USB 4.0 is that it's based on Thunderbolt 3 technology, which Intel contributed to the USB Promoter Group. With Thunderbolt 3, the new USB specification will support data transfer rates of up to 40Gbps, double what's currently offered by USB 3.2.
The new version will also use "multiple data and display protocols" to make the most use of the maximum bandwidth. It also provides new data flow allocation capabilities to devices that use USB Type-C to connect external displays. Despite the enhancements, the new standard is backwards compatible with USB 3.2, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt 3.
With the USB 4.0 specification now finalized, it shouldn't take very long for devices to start showing up with USB ports that make use of its capabilities. The USB-IF will hold USB Developer Days in Seattle and Taipei this year, giving developers the chance to learn more about USB 4.0. You can read the full specification here.
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