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USB-C is better than A in that it works in two orientations instead of one, but the correct answer for connectors should be any orientation — the best connectors are cylindrical connectors: barrel plugs, RCA, BNC, banana, phono, TRS, TRRS, etc. Just make them round.


Man, there’s nothing more satisfying than the feel of a quarter-inch TRS plug slotting in to a high quality jack. Truly one of the great plug designs.


And one of the oldest. It dates back to the 1870s. Older even than the Edison Screw.


LEMO push-pull connectors and their ilk are mighty satisfying.


Well, more like 1.5 orientations because we STILL have devices that only work with the cable in one of two valid orientations.


Would it be practical to have a round port as a universal connector? USB C uses a lot of pins, how would that work? Like an audio plug with a lot of rings?


I think it would be practical with glass fibre. Two wires/rings for power, and fibre for data. Something like a Mini-TOSLINK, but even smaller. Ideally the plug would be barely thicker than the cable.


Glass fibre is pretty fragile though, it would probably break in the first hour for most people if used like a normal USB Cable.


Just use polymer fibre for consumer gear. Cheaper and more robust.


Can that still transfer data at full speed with reasonable cable length while bent?




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