Announced in March this year, the brand new USB standard "USB4" is poised to become mainstream. With the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) finally revealing all the specifications that provide the latest iteration of USB, there is very little left to the imagination. But in case you're late to the party, questioning what USB4 is, or eager to find out all about the latest USB standard, you've come to the right place. Read on as I take you through all the notable features and changes USB4 has packed.

Whether it's top speed or high efficiency, USB4 ticks almost all the boxes to be a huge upgrade. And yes, they have also tried to get rid of the age-old frustration through neat simplification. So, if you'd balked at some of the major drawbacks of its predecessor (USB 3.2), chances are pretty good that you'd appreciate the latest USB standard.

I guess one of the first questions that may come to your mind is: what is the technology behind USB4? That's why it's better to get it out of the way before moving on. The latest version of the USB standard is based on Intel's Thunderbolt 3 connector technology, which gives it both fast speed and more efficiency. In addition, USB4 is built on the existing USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 architectures. Although the latest USB standard takes advantage of the same dual-file architecture as USB 3.2, it doubles individual lane transfer speeds. Thanks to the two-lane operation, it is more capable of meeting high demand consistently. Whether it's transferring files much faster or charging compatible devices quickly, it has most bases covered to be a great upgrade.

For too long, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) had used a rather confusing naming pattern. Thankfully, with the introduction of USB4, the confusing naming system has become a thing of the past. That's why they haven't put a space between the USB and the number. And they have also said that the next iteration will be called just USB5 and not USB4.1 unlike before. USB Promoter Group CEO Brad Saunders has claimed that they now want to simplify things. Therefore, we can finally expect the era of completely messed up naming patterns to end for good!