USB 3.0 will, together with SATA 6Gbps take our storage medias to the next generation and even if the SATA interface gets a nice boost it is nothing compared to what the third generation of USB promises. USB 2.0 has a maximal transfer rate at 480Mbps, the USB 3.0 specifications sports a theoretical transfer rate of a whopping 5000Mbps. In other words almost as fast as the new internal Serial ATA interface. It has now been stated that the test specification of USB 3.0 will be ready for June, 2009.
This means that manufacturers will be able to test their USB 3.0 products in final mode and the first commercial products are expected to surface at the start of 2010.
It was during a USB 3.0 seminary in Tokyo last week that Agilent Technologies product manager, Jim Choate, revealed the time schedule for the coming test specification;
“Compatibility tests for transmitting circuits and receiving circuits will begin in the second half of 2009, he said. After that, USB Implementers Forum Inc (USB-IF) will have its first “compliance workshop” at about the end of 2009. And USB 3.0-compatible end products certified by USB-IF are expected to debut in 2010.” – Via Tech-On
We can only speculate what kind of external storage solutions we will see on the market in a year. The new interface should enable more powerful solutions though, the question is how the manufacturers’ use it.
