USB Type-C
(USB-C)
A specific physical USB connector (plug and socket design) that hit the market in 2015. It replaced micro-USB in phones, and is replacing "full-size" USB (Type A) connectors in most other devices (including laptop computers.) USB-C also replaced certain proprietary connectors such as Apple's Lightning connector.
See: Micro-USB
Like most USB connectors, Type-C carries both power and data. It can be used to charge a mobile device's battery; it can also provide a wired data connection to another device, such as a computer or TV. USB is the industry standard physical connector for phones, for both charging and wired data.
See: USB
A Type-C connector is similar in size to micro-USB, but includes several upgrades. Unlike micro-USB, it is reversible, meaning it can be plugged in "either way"; there is no wrong way nor "upside-down".
Type-C also supports higher data speeds and larger amounts of power (enough to charge a phone very quickly or even charge a laptop computer.)
However, chargers, devices, and even cables can vary in what data rates and power levels they support. For each data or charging session, those limits are "negotiated" based on what the devices and cable support.
Like micro-USB, a Type-C connector can support "alternate modes" such as DisplayPort or HDMI for HD video. USB-C can also carry non-USB data protocols such as Thunderbolt.
Last updated Apr 23, 2026 by Rich Brome
Editor in Chief Rich became fascinated with cell phones in 1999, creating mobile web sites for phones with tiny black-and-white displays and obsessing over new phone models. Realizing a need for better info about phones, he started Phone Scoop in 2001, and has been helming the site ever since. Rich has spent two decades researching and covering every detail of the phone industry, traveling the world to tour factories, interview CEOs, and get every last spec and photo Phone Scoop readers have come to expect. As an industry veteran, Rich is a respected voice on phone technology of the past, present, and future.
