Apple and Intel have been pushing Thunderbolt I/O for sometime. Originally demoed as Light Peak, Thunderbolt IO went standard in all Macs released recently by Apple. Promising super high speeds and a strong rival to USB 3.0, Thunderbolt was seen as a proprietary effort limited to Apple’s enthusiasm. Well that was until yesterday.
At IDF 2011, Windows PCs supporting Thunderbolt was shown and manufacturers like Asus and Acer have promised systems supporting Thuderbolt as early as 2012. Accessory / peripheral makers have work at hand now to support both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt. But the question running on our mind is what interface would everyone adopt? Sony had a mish-mash of USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt thus unifying the two, on the other hand Apple has stuck to the Mini Displayport.
Given USB’s dominance in the industry, Thunderbolt supporters would have to come down and finalise one standard port going ahead. Apple hasn’t adopted USB 3.0 on any of its products yet and Thunderbolt looks like a winner if the entire industry adopts it soon enough. For now, you may speculate on Thunderbolt support in next iPhone, iPod and iPad!