New Reversible USB Type-C Standard Gains Support for DisplayPort Video

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) today announced a DisplayPort Alternate Mode for the upcoming USB Type-C connector standard, which will let USB-Type C connectors and cables deliver DisplayPort signals.

As noted by AnandTech, DisplayPort technology built into USB Type-C has the potential to connect monitors, cables, docking stations, and more. With the ability to support displays and carry video data via USB, USB Type-C could potentially serve as the next Thunderbolt connector, powering 4K and higher resolution displays.

DisplayPortAltMode_575px

The DisplayPort Alt Mode repurposes some or all of the four existing SuperSpeed USB lanes to deliver full DisplayPort performance, and uses other signaling available in the USB Type-C connector for DisplayPort's AUX channel and HPD (Hot Plug Detection) function. This enables computers, tablets, smartphones, displays, and docking stations to implement the new USB Type-C connector at both ends while using the DisplayPort Standard over USB Type-C to transmit high-resolution A/V along with USB data and power.

Finalized in August, the USB Type-C connector specifications are much improved over previous USB generations. The slim connector is entirely reversible, making it easier to plug in, and due to its thin design, it's suitable for both mobile device and larger computers. It's also certified for USB 3.1 data rates of up to 10 Gbps and can deliver a maximum of 100W of power.

With an alternate DisplayPort mode and four lanes of signaling, one USB Type-C cable could be used to provide power to a device while also driving a connected display. According to VESA, Type-C ports and the first DisplayPort Alt Mode capable devices (using DisplayPort 1.2a) will be available beginning in 2015.

Earlier this morning, a rumor suggested Apple's upcoming 12-inch MacBook would take advantage of the new reversible USB Type-C connector, which is plausible as that device is rumored to begin shipping in mid-2015.

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
apple intelligence black

Report: Apple's AI Strategy Could Finally Pay Off in 2026

Tuesday December 30, 2025 9:01 am PST by
Apple's restrained artificial intelligence strategy may pay off in 2026 amid the arrival of a revamped Siri and concerns around the AI market "bubble" bursting, The Information argues. The speculative report notes that Apple has taken a restrained approach with AI innovations compared with peers such as OpenAI, Google, and Meta, which are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in data...
apple fitness 2026 1

Apple Teases 'Something Big' Coming Soon to Apple Fitness+

Tuesday December 30, 2025 2:11 pm PST by
The Apple Fitness+ Instagram account today teased that the service has "big plans" for 2026. In a video, several Apple Fitness+ trainers are shown holding up newspapers with headlines related to Apple Fitness+. What's Apple Fitness+ Planning for the New Year? Something Big is Coming to Apple Fitness+ The Countdown Begins. Apple Fitness+ 2026 is Almost Here 2026 Plans Still Under ...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max Users Report Static Speaker Noise While Charging

Tuesday December 30, 2025 10:39 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max owners are having trouble with the speakers of their devices, and have complained about a static or hissing noise that occurs when the iPhone is charging. There are multiple discussions about the issue on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and Apple's Support Community, where affected users say there is a noticeable static noise "like an old radio." Some people report...
maxresdefault

Hands-On With a Rough iPhone Fold Mockup

Monday December 29, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple is rumored to be introducing a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and since it will bring the biggest form factor change since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, curiosity about the design is high. A 3D designer created an iPhone Fold design based on rumors, and we printed it out to see how it compares to Apple's current iPhones. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
Mac Pro Feature Blue

What's Happening With the Mac Pro?

Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro. Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
macbook air march 2020

Apple Says Final Intel MacBook Air and Apple Watch Series 5 Now 'Vintage'

Wednesday December 31, 2025 8:39 am PST by
Apple today added the final 13-inch MacBook Air powered by Intel processors, the Apple Watch Series 5, and additional products to its vintage products list. The iPhone 11 Pro was also added to the list after the iPhone 11 Pro Max was added back in September. The full list of products added to Apple's vintage and obsolete list today: MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020) iPhone 8 Plus 128GB ...

Top Rated Comments

H2SO4 Avatar
147 months ago
So before Thunderbolt gained traction it has serious competition?
They should have priced it reasonably while they had the chance, I wonder if TB will be the next FireWire as far as consumers are concerned.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MagnusVonMagnum Avatar
147 months ago
man, kinda sucks to have another connector standard. Oh well, i guess that's the price of progress. Maybe they're trying to figure out how to combine USB and thunderbolt and displayport.

You're right about everything except Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt is now DEAD. This just killed it. It's a total replacement for Thunderbolt 2 while retaining USB connectivity and cable standards AND is reversible. It gets rid of ALL major problems and ALL major complaints and it's a HUGE standard (unlike Thunderbolt which hardly anyone supports or uses except Apple). It sucks to be people who bought into Thunderbolt and it sucks to own a Mac Pro. You've just been PWNED! :eek: :D

I called this a couple of years ago. No one gives a crap about APPLE standards and Intel or not, it's ONLY been really used by Apple. You CANNOT create "standards" when you represent 8% of the market. Making matters worse, Apple wanted to have exclusive access to Thunderbolt the first year. WHY???? There was NOTHING available for it and it only meant that PC adoption would not occur for at least another year to even start. They helped doom their own connection standard. Call it Steve's dying folly if you like, but it was a stupid move.

Thunderbolt was always about ridiculously high bandwidth which required active chips to achieve. USB 3.1 next year will hit what Thunderbolt 1 got in 2011 (10Gbps), and Thunderbolt 3 next year will be pushing for 4x that (40Gbps). And since it's PCI-E, it doesn't have the overhead USB has.

Dream on. They can't even hardly get any devices to support Thunderbolt I several years later and they're all universally OVERPRICED. Don't give me the "Pro" line of defense because Apple has done everything in its power to KILL its own Pro market and hand it lock, stock and barrel to Windows. The Mac Pro is really a Prosumer machine (given the lack of internal expansion, rack mount capability and even software now that most have left the market), except most prosumers can't afford it. I doubt you'll even see Thunderbolt III. For goodness sake, look how long it's taken to get significant USB3 adoption by consumers (given the lack of desktop sales and the lack of mobile support). By the time Thunderbolt III makes an appearance, USB 4 will be out in short order and that will be the last you will EVER see of Thunderbolt, virtually guaranteed and IMO good riddance. We don't need competing standards and we certainly don't need overpriced products for those standards. Sometimes competition is BAD (look at HDDvd vs. Blu-Ray and how that only slowed adoption).
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DonutHands Avatar
147 months ago
poor ADB, oops, i mean ADC, oops, i mean FireWire, oops, i mean Thunderbolt.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ravenvii Avatar
147 months ago
SWEET!

So before Thunderbolt gained traction it has serious competition?
They should have priced it reasonably while they had the chance, I wonder if TB will be the next FireWire as far as consumers are concerned.

Already is, IMO.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
147 months ago
I think the problem with most of you guys is that you need to realize Thunderbolt is not for you. It's for professionals. It doesn't have the overhead that USB does and it's twice as fast as this new USB standard, with optical versions on the way that go 50Gbps and 100Gbps bi-directional. It's about having direct access to the motherboard externally. You run things like USB on top of Thunderbolt.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
krazygoat Avatar
147 months ago
Remember thunderbolt2 and maybe even 1 will be able to do USB 3.1 via an adapter.

We use Thunderbolt all the time. I have a Thunderbolt2 LG monitor on my desk now. We have dozens of very large thunderbolt 1 & 2 RAIDs. I use it on set for networking.

To me it is not an either or, thunderbolt did not make USB 2 or 3 go away and USB 3 while fast enough for most people did not make thunderbolt go away anny more than those technologies did not make 10GbE, Inifiniband, or even good ol' fiberchannel go away. Both connectors are small so I would want Thunderbolt AND USB 3.1.

Once the networking stack gets optimized (all done in software right now so IO can affect performance) then thunderbolt can take off as a networking technology too (also need switches). Remember too thunderbolt is specced to go to 100Gbps and USB 3.1 is just catching up to Thunderbolt 1
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)