[perilunar]

USB-C is better than A in that it works in two orientations instead of one, but the correct answer for connectors should be any orientation — the best connectors are cylindrical connectors: barrel plugs, RCA, BNC, banana, phono, TRS, TRRS, etc. Just make them round.

[skywhopper]

Man, there’s nothing more satisfying than the feel of a quarter-inch TRS plug slotting in to a high quality jack. Truly one of the great plug designs.

[perilunar]

And one of the oldest. It dates back to the 1870s. Older even than the Edison Screw.

[0_____0]

LEMO push-pull connectors and their ilk are mighty satisfying.

[estimator7292]

Well, more like 1.5 orientations because we STILL have devices that only work with the cable in one of two valid orientations.

[echoangle]

Would it be practical to have a round port as a universal connector? USB C uses a lot of pins, how would that work? Like an audio plug with a lot of rings?

[perilunar]

I think it would be practical with glass fibre. Two wires/rings for power, and fibre for data. Something like a Mini-TOSLINK, but even smaller. Ideally the plug would be barely thicker than the cable.

[echoangle]

Glass fibre is pretty fragile though, it would probably break in the first hour for most people if used like a normal USB Cable.

[perilunar]

Just use polymer fibre for consumer gear. Cheaper and more robust.

[echoangle]

Can that still transfer data at full speed with reasonable cable length while bent?