Intel Light Peak will make an entrance into retail next year and will bring transfer speeds up to 10 Gbps, where USB 3.0 has looked like promising prey, but according to engineers and analysts it will be tougher than expected for Intel to compete with the new USB standards.
Intel jas poitned out that Light Peak is not intended to replace USB, but complement it. But since the technology makes it possible to transfer data, audio, network, more or less any signal at extreme speeds it becomes obvious that other formats are feeling threatened.
According to a recently published survey Light Peak will not get an easy way in next year. Not the least with the major OEMs where an interviewed PC engineer pointed out that there is simply no use for the format with current PCs.
“I think there will be some who will use Light Peak, but not the volume OEMs like the Acers, HPs and Dells”[…]”None of the top three (HP, Dell, Acer) have made even a hint of support for Light Peak—these OEMs are well known supporters of USB 3.0”
Even if Light Peak is just in phase one it will multiply the avilable bandwidth of USB 3.0 there are few users that needs this kind of performance. At the same time the cost of Light Peak support will be higher than Intel has claimed. Closer to 5-10 USD, and not 2 USD that Intel claimed.
Light Peak, and not the least optical data interfaces in computers, have a future. It will in a not too distant future find applications in servers and workstations.
