Intel will launch its next generation Thunderbolt at a press event next month at the Computex trade show in Taipei, according to a press invite sent by the company on Monday. Previously, Apple decided not to power its super slim 12-inch MacBook with Intel’s Thunderbolt, but the move hardly affected Intel from developing the high-speed connector technology, says a report from PCWorld.
Intel working to speed up data transfers
Thunderbolt version 2.0 can transfer data at a speed of 20 Mbps, which is two times faster than the latest USB 3.1. The chipmaker did not reveal any other details on its next-gen Thunderbolt connector, but what’s known is that the new chipset is being tested with more integrated components. Further, at the June 1 event, products that are compatible with the next-generation Thunderbolt technology could be showcased.
Intel is looking to increase the speed of data transfers and has said that it could clock a speed of up to 50Gbps driven by emerging silicon photonics technology. However, the company stated that the current speed of Thunderbolt 2.0 is appropriate for most applications and that it would release faster connectors at the right time.
With the help of Thunderbolt, tech computers are linked to auxiliaries such as hard drives and displays, increasing the speed at which data is transferred. At present, Thunderbolt ports are available in Macs and a few Windows PCs.
PC makers shying away from expensive Thunderbolt
Since Apple decided to drop Thunderbolt for its 12-inch MacBook, doubts about the future of it have been looming. Thunderbolt peripherals come at a high cost, and many PC makers have decided not to increase their costs by bringing the technology to Windows PCs.
If Microsoft comes up with support for 8k video in its upcoming 10 OS, the need for a faster Thunderbolt connector could arrive, says the report. As of now, the market has not seen any 8K TVs, but there are electronics manufacturers that are supporting the idea of development of a new connector technology called SuperMHL, which will run through USB cables.
Also at the event, Intel will launch USB Type C– 3.1, a competitor to Thunderbolt. USB Type C– 3.1 can perform more functions such as recharging the laptops and could be used as a connector for a wide variety of peripherals.
