The cable drawer. Everyone has one. That tangled mess of USB-A, USB-B, Mini-USB, Micro-USB, and now USB-C cables that somehow multiply when nobody’s looking. The promise was simple: USB-C would fix everything. One cable to rule them all. Instead, manufacturers created a spectacular mess where identical-looking ports do wildly different things.
Microsoft apparently got tired of the chaos. Sources indicate the tech giant is pushing for mandatory standardization across all USB-C implementations, forcing manufacturers to actually deliver on the original promise. No more guessing games about whether that USB-C port supports video output, fast charging, or just basic data transfer at grandma speeds.
The current situation is absurd. Some USB-C ports deliver 240 watts of power through the new Extended Power Range specification. Others barely manage 15 watts. Some handle DisplayPort video signals, HDMI, or Thunderbolt data transfer. Others don’t. They all look exactly the same. It’s like having identical light switches where some control lights, some launch rockets, and some do absolutely nothing.
Identical ports with wildly different capabilities – like light switches that might control lights, launch rockets, or do nothing at all.
USB-C was supposed to be reversible and universal. The reversible part works great – no more flipping cables three times before they fit. The universal part? That’s where manufacturers decided to get creative. Apple uses USB-C for everything from basic charging to professional video editing. Android manufacturers pick and choose features seemingly at random. Laptop makers are the worst offenders, mixing fully-featured ports with crippled ones on the same device.
The technical capability exists. USB Power Delivery 3.1 can push 240 watts at 48 volts. The specification even includes an adjustable voltage supply mode that lets devices request precise intermediate voltages for optimal charging efficiency. Data speeds can hit USB 4 levels. Video output, bidirectional power, alternate modes – it’s all there in the specification. Manufacturers just cherry-pick features to save pennies per port.
Microsoft’s reported standardization push would force all USB-C ports to support baseline capabilities: minimum 60-watt power delivery, USB 3.1 data speeds, and DisplayPort alternate mode. This baseline aligns with USB-IF’s original vision where the Power Delivery chipset negotiates required power with connected devices automatically, eliminating the guesswork. Manufacturers could still offer higher specifications, but the days of mystery ports would end. Finally. The cable drawer might actually make sense.
