We recently published a blog post discussing the new USB-C standard set to roll out in earnest this year. USB is a power and data transfer protocol that is important to us not only because USB is how our batteries are recharged. USB is convenient, just plug them into a standard USB port and away you go. They are intuitive and trustworthy and universal available and understood and, like any tech, steadily under improvement. USB-C was and is a great step in the right direction.
In anticipation of transitioning ever more of our products to USB-C, we want to let you know what you can expect from new USB-C batteries. There needn't be any surprises when our inventory begins shipping with the new technology built in. Below are a number of important things we want you to know. If you ever have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.
The most visible and noticeable change will be a new USB port with a standard profile. It will accommodate a plug that is smaller than USB-A and B plugs. Furthermore, the shape of this new plug is concentric, so there will not be one side bigger than the other. That means there will be no right or wrong way to insert the plug into a device.
Note that USB-C is designed to be a global standard. If all goes as planned, device makers will get rid of all their A and B ports. USB cables will not have to be different then. A single cable will be usable with any USB-C device.
USB-C technology is capable of transferring more power at a faster rate. While that may not dictate any immediate changes to our USB-C rechargeable batteries, it does open the door to faster charging or larger, more powerful batteries in the future. It should also open the door to producing lithium-ion batteries capable of powering high demand devices.
We anticipate many new possibilities thanks to USB-C. We cannot say much more than that given that USB-C is early in terms of fulfilling all its potential, but we expect to have more on that topic in the future.
Although USB-C will give us a new port and cable to work with, it will not affect our product offering and form factors. All the form factors Pale Blue Earth currently offers will be available with the USB-C plug. In fact, our C, D and 9V already have both micro-USB and USB-C ports on each and every battery.
Will we offer more form factors such as 18650 and CR123, certainly. Will other form factors emerge from this new technology? Probably not. The form factors we currently have are so embedded that device manufacturers do not have much incentive to change things.
If you are worried that USB-C will diminish the quality of our rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, don't be. We promise that you will get the same high quality regardless of charging method. You will still get 1000+ charges out of each and every battery. You will still get the same great performance, fast charging, and stable voltage output.
