USB, Mini, Micro – What is what?

Posted by Chris Leckness on Nov 07, 2009

closeThis post was published 1 month 18 days ago which may make its actuality or expire date not be valid anymore. This site is not responsible for any misunderstanding.

I am not ashamed to admit it, but I have thought all along that a certain connector was micro USB this whole time, but I was wrong. I did a video last night of Sprint’s Samsung Intrepid Windows Mobile phone and I accused the phone of having a proprietary connector. I was corrected, I disagreed, I was corrected again and now I know. This whole time, I have thought the wrong connector was micro. You live and you learn. That said, I am going to educate others that might not know!

One of my complaints over the years has been all the different chargers and the lack of standardization in charging in general. That all seems like it might be changing with some of the groups pushing the industry for a standard. About 8 months ago, the GSMA announced a push towards making micro USB that standard. More recently, Zealot posted a story on the same subject where some major manufacturers are planning to get with the program in 2010.

Under Monday’s accord, phone makers Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Apple, Motorola, Research in Motion and others will introduce the single charger by next year.

Well read on to learn more about the micro USB connector.

Like a mentioned about, I have actually used a micro USB connector and didn’t even realize it. I have a couple devices with a really small connector that looks just like a mini USB connector, just smaller. I thought this was the micro USB connector. I am very used to the mini USB connector since it’s all HTC has been using for the past couple years, but micro hasn’t been used a lot in the mobile phone world.

When I was unboxing the Samsung Intrepid, I looked at the charge/sync cable and the wall charger and saw a thin, blade like connector and quickly dismissed it as the same old blade like connector that Samsung had been using. I have several Samsung phones that use that connector. I didn’t even notice the size difference until I was corrected by a viewer. Upon further look today, it’s clear that it is definately the micro USB connector that the GSMA and others are pushing towards.

usbconnects1

usbconnects2

Now, the question is, what is this connector that I thought was micro USB?

Chris Leckness (4402 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook


Chris Leckness is the Owner/Administrator of Mobilitysite. He is a Microsoft MVP, Mobile Devices and a member of the exclusive focus group, Mobius. Chris has been a big time supporter/user of Windows Mobile since the Dell Axim days when it was Pocket PC 2002. Chris loves Zune, but also owns 3 iPhones too. His personal blog is chris.leckness.com.

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  • dukeofurl
    I have that weird connector on my Nikon Coolpix P80 camera, and am looking for a mini-usb to that thing adaptor, so that I only have to leave one cord hanging out of my computer.
  • Graham Best
    The 'Micro USB' connector is really a Micro-B USB connector. The connector you have labeled as 'What I thought was micro USB' is a Micro-AB USB connector.
    http://www.hirose.co.jp/cataloge_hp/e24200011.pdf
  • I have to ask why they bothered with MicroUSB. It doesn't look much smaller than MiniUSB and I thought lots of devices used MiniUSB (like my old Motorola Qs).

    Steve
  • Graham Best
    As far as the Mini vs Micro USB connectors, the Micro is supposed to have better connection cycles:
    "The Micro plug design is rated for 10,000 connect-disconnect cycles which is significantly more than the Mini plug design"
    USB 2.0 Specification, Section 1.3 via Wikipeida:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_USB#Connector...
  • Snow1985
    Its about time for standardization. I am so tired of searching the connectors to find one for this device and that device and this one wont charge this one but will this one, and that one wont charge that but will this. Be nice to walk over pick up the charge cable and not worry if i picked up the right one or not
  • Niko
    I've fallen for that too. Is that odd one out the: proprietary HTC ExtUSB which combines USB and audio/video? I'm glad they're finally looking to standardize, mini and micro was enough to confuse me. It's like a game when you get a new device, you think, 'ooh, will that other plug work?'
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