USB 2.0 Speed Revised Upward to 30-40 Times beyond Current Rate

Higher Speed to Support Most Demanding User Applications Without Added Cost or Complexity Over Previous Target

INTEL DEVELOPER FORUM, PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Aug. 31, 1999 - A group of PC industry leaders announced today that the speed target of Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 is two to three times faster than what was disclosed at the Intel Developer Forum in February.

Earlier this year, the USB 2.0 Promoter Group, consisting of Compaq, HP, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC and Philips, announced an early speed estimate of USB 2.0 being 120 to 240 Megabits per second (Mbs), or 10 to 20 times faster than USB 1.1. This latest increase in the speed target puts the rate now at 360-480 Mbs, or 30 to 40 times faster than USB 1.1. The revised and significantly higher target rate is a result of analyses conducted by the USB 2.0 Promoter Group that conclude that speed can be raised without additional cost or complexity over the previous estimate.

"This achievement on USB 2.0 will further build the great momentum of USB into even more demanding user applications, such as image creation and interactive gaming, and provide an effective upgrade path for today's USB peripherals," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel vice president and general manager, Desktop Products Group.

An Evolution of USB
The increased bandwidth of USB 2.0 will permit PC peripherals with more functionality, including faster broadband internet connections, higher resolution video conferencing cameras, next generation printers and scanners and fast external storage units. USB 2.0 also will make today's applications more productive, such as reducing the time to download a "roll" of digital photos from a few minutes on the earlier version of USB to only a few seconds on USB 2.0. Because USB 2.0 is an evolution of the existing USB 1.1 specification, it will be fully forward and backward compatible with current USB systems and peripherals. Even with the new speed target, USB 2.0 will work with existing cables and connectors.

What's Next
The USB 2.0 specification draft is on track for release at the USB 2.0 Developer Conference this October in San Diego. Leading systems and peripherals are expected in the marketplace in the second half of 2000.

More information is available at www.usb.org.

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