USB-IF publishes the USB4 specifications - Thunderbolt for the masses

Earlier this year, the USB Promoter Group announced that Intel contributed their Thunderbolt 3 technology to create the next iteration of USB, USB4. This move, in effect, brings Thunderbolt 3 into the USB family, creating a standard that offers a 2x bandwidth boost over USB 3.2 (Gen2X2) while also offering the prospect of Thunderbolt speeds to a wider range of devices. 
  
USB4 will be backwards compatible with USB 3.1, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3, offering up to 40Gbps of bandwidth to users. USB4 will utilise the USB Type-C interface, just like Thunderbolt 3. USB4 will not be available via USB Type-A connectors. 

Now, the USB Implementors Forum, USB IF, have now officially published the specifications of USB4. This means that it is only a matter of time before we see USB4 compliant devices hit store shelves. Given USB4's similarities to Thunderbolt 3, USB4 is expected to come to market a lot sooner than previous USB standards.

Starting with Ice Lake, an upcoming 10nm processor from Intel, the company plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3.0 directly onto their processor. This will likely make Intel the first CPU manufacturer to support USB4, a factor which will place AMD at a disadvantage until they can offer USB4 support in their devices. At this time it is unknown if Ice Lake will support USB4, as its similarities with Thunderbolt 3 could enable a form of inter-compatibility.