Intel USB 3.0 update resolves dispute with Nvidia, AMD

Intel has released a specification revision for next-generation USB 3.0 technology that resolves a dispute with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices, which had threatened to develop their own USB 3.0 standard.

USB 3.0--also known as SuperSpeed USB--is a next-generation high-speed connection standard due in 2009. It is significant not only because all future PCs and devices will use connectors based on the standard but because it will offer 10 times the speed of USB 2.0--used in virtually all PCs introduced in the last few years--or roughly 5 gigabits per second.

On Wednesday, Intel released what it calls the Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) draft specification revision 0.9 in support of the USB 3.0 architecture. The draft specification provides a standardized method for USB 3.0 hardware to communicate with USB 3.0-specific software.

"Interoperability among devices from multiple manufacturers is important for consumer adoption of SuperSpeed USB products," Intel said in a statement. The draft specification revision will make it easier to develop software support for the industry, according to Intel.

The updated specification is being made available under royalty free licensing terms to all USB 3.0 Promoter Group and contributor companies "that sign an xHCI contributor agreement," Intel said.

A statement from Advanced Micro Devices was included in the announcement: "USB 3.0 is an answer to the future bandwidth need of the PC platform. AMD believes strongly in open industry standards, and therefore is supporting a common xHCI specification."

Microsoft and Dell also voiced support.

Nvidia and AMD had claimed previously that Intel was not giving the specification to companies that compete with Intel in the processor and chipset business and both companies had threatened to develop their own USB 3.0 specification. Intel, at that time, denied that it was withholding the specification.

Now the dispute is resolved--however tenuously--allowing the USB 3.0 specification to go forward. "They have both signed the agreement to use our spec instead...and will not develop and alternate version," an Intel spokesperson said Tuesday. The fact that AMD and Nvidia will not pursue a separate specification would, in effect, resolve the dispute.

AMD's support came with a qualifier, however. "Its a shame that it took the reality of an alternative spec to make this come true. Intel should have opened it up without this. One has to question a monopolist leading a spec like this in the future," a source close to AMD said.

Intel said it plans to make available a revised xHCI 0.95 specification in the fourth quarter. The updated revision of the specification will also be released under royalty-free licensing terms via an xHCI adopter's agreement.

Intel said the specification is "90 percent" complete at this point.

More here.

[oldmanangry]

This is silly grand standing by Nvidia and AMD. Releasing a spec at 90 percent means many devices will not work because they are written to work with the 90 percent spec. Part of being a reporter doesn't mean just reporting both sides but also seeing if one side is full of crap. USB 2.0 was done the same way and turned out just fine.

[fdunn3]

Who said anybody was manufacturing anything at the 90% spec? They are simply working out the kinks on the specs internally at all the participating companies. Once the spec is signed off by everybody then it will go public.

[Lerianis]

Actually, no, it wasn't done the same way (USB 2.0). USB 2.0 was made by many companies, working together every step of the way. As to 'many devices won't work because they will be written to work with the 90% spec'.... wrong. At 90%, there shouldn't be any real changes that would make for incompatibility problems.

Personally, I am hoping that this time they 'do a Firewire' and have processing power in the USB 3.0 chipset to take some of the CPU overhead off the main computer processor.

[Yuhong2]

Also, usually the 0.95 specs allows implementation using discrete chips only, while the 1.x specs allows implementation inside the chipset.

[wallm]

um..wireless USB? what happen to dat?

[make_or_break]

So everyone one else EXCEPT Nvidia and AMD was willing to defer to Intel this time around prior to this agreement. Guess they figured if they could bend over for Sony and their control over the BD spec, they can do the same with Intel...

[Maccess]

at the end of the day what will happen is that consumers are going to be so confused with USB 3.0a, 3.0b, 3.0c, that they'll stick with 2.0 until the next peripheral connection standard, which will not be any version of USB.

[SixVodkas]

Meh.

It'll probably be just like USB2.0 in respect to the claimed speeds.

USB2.0's published spec includes system overhead and doesn't give you "480mbps".

Heck, even FW400 is faster than USB2.0 (FW800 slaughters it), and FW's next iteration might be a better bet yet.

[postelwait]

@wallm

i think the price on wireless usb was too high for manufacturers to implement it into their devices. there are some usb devices out there that use 802.11g to be "wireless."

[maldelus]

I hope they fix the problems before they rush it to market. I am talking of the old 'cart before the force' mentality.