According to code discovered in the latest beta of macOS Sierra, upcoming Macs may support USB 3.1 Gen 2 which would enable peripheral speeds up to a theoretical maximum of 10Gbps.
In a report from 9to5Mac, it was noted that a string in the Sierra beta mentions SuperSpeed+, a term reserved for Gen 2 ports. In fact, the report also specifically mentions the 10-gigabit speed cap, which is twice as fast as Gen 1.
Apple could be planning to include USB 3.1 Gen 2 in updated iMacs and MacBook Pros later this year, which may be announced sometime this fall. Support would likely come through Thunderbolt 3, which is not only cross-compatible with Gen 2 but offers native speeds up to 40 gigabits per second, and DisplayPort 1.2 connectivity.
Most people probably won’t see a difference between Thunderbolt 3 or Gen 2, but the new technologies simplify connecting 4k devices and bring speed improvements when backing up or sending files to an external hard drive.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
