From CNET: Intel's long-running but largely unsuccessful effort to transform how you plug devices into your PC will make significant progress this year, the chipmaker predicts.
Intel has promoted Thunderbolt for years with few signs of mainstream success. At this week's Intel Developer Forum, though, the company offered two reasons why its high-speed connection technology will soon take off as a way to connect storage systems, external displays and other peripherals.
First is the arrival this fall of PCs powered by Intel's "Kaby Lake" seventh-generation Core processor. Those machines will include the new USB Type-C mulitpurpose port. Thunderbolt now piggybacks on that same port design, too, so it will be easier for PC makers to support Thunderbolt.
Second is Intel's belief that Thunderbolt will soothe some of the headaches that come with USB-C.
"We're expecting more than double number of designs," up from 60 Thunderbolt-equipped PCs for sale today, said Jason Ziller, the Intel marketing director who's been the public face of Thunderbolt. "The marriage of USB-C and Thunderbolt is really driving a lot of that adoption."
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