The Rise Of Micro USB Connectors

With the rise of hand held and portable devices such as tablets and smartphones being the norm today, it's no doubt that a standard in connectivity and power supply is necessary. The micro USB standard has become the norm for almost all these devices, replacing the Mini style which has greatly depreciated since 2007. The smaller space of the micro USB standard allows for it to be implemented into thinner devices such as Tablet PCs, E Readers, Smartphones, GPS Devices, and many more slim profile electronic products.

The USB standard was introduced to make the connectivity of devices more easy to accomplish. A USB cable both supplies power to devices as well as the transfer of data between two devices. It has widely replaces many separate connectors of the past such as serial and parallel ports and the need to have a separate power supply as well.

There are many different types of USB connector sizes and shapes. With the rise of small handheld and portable devices, the mini and micro standards of USB connectors have become extremely popular.

The Mini-A and Mini-B plugs are approximately 3 by 7 mm. The micro-USB plugs have a similar width and approximately half the thickness, making it easier to be installed in smaller and thinner devices. The micro-A connector is 6.85 by 1.8 mm with a maximum overmold size of 11.7 by 8.5 mm. The micro-B connector is 6.85 by 1.8 mm with a maximum overmold size of 10.6 by 8.5 mm.

On June of 2009, the European Commission in a Memorandum of Understanding agreed to adopt Micro USB as the standard for all handheld devices.

Also, as of 2009 companies including including Hewlett-Packard, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sony Ericsson have all agreed upon Micro USB as the standard charging port for all their portable & hand-held devices.

Central Components Manufacturing offers a complete variety of electronic components including Micro USB B style female connectors for manufacturers of hand held and portable devices. We support multiple mounting, multiple plating, and multiple packaging options. All of our products are RoHS compliant and adhere to UL and CSA specifications.