就在大家兴高采烈，昂首阔步的迈向USB 3.0，眼看着应用就要遍地开花的时候，一个消息可能令急行军戛然止步。EEtimes 报道说有一个顶级PC制造商的资深技术经理爆料说，Intel决定推迟到2011年才在芯片组中支持USB 3.0。由于此前Intel曾表示最早在2010年初在芯片组中提供支持，所以如果真的推迟的话，也算是Intel放水。Intel的发言人表示从未听过这个消息，但拒绝进一步评论。
在上个月的IDF上许多USB 3.0的从业者刚刚展示了传输率达到250MB/s的应用，谁有没曾想马上就有深喉泼了冷水。没有芯片组的支持，谁都知道USB 3.0很难普及，相关的芯片厂商也只能观望，等待。据说Intel 芯片组的主要精力放在了开发Nehalem平台和PCIe 2.0的迁移上，还没工夫玩USB 3.0。不过这个说法多少有些牵强，以Intel的实力，集成USB 3.0不是什么难事，至于何时集成，更多的是出于商业考虑。
对于early bird来说，这个消息让人沮丧，但对于后来者，这个消息却令人鼓舞。对于先发者来说，这个消息可能令他们的先发优势不再明显，甚至丧失殆尽。对于后发者，比如台湾的芯片厂商，则是一个利好。USB 3.0芯片的开发，美国和日本一直都走在前头，台湾的芯片厂商显得有点落后，不过台湾的厂商向来擅长后来居上，在应用开始普及的时候才摘取果实，现在又有了时间上的优势。
该爆料人又提到了基本已死的UWB和呼声日高的60GHz，并说如果一切顺利，60GHz也将在2011年成为主流，言下之意，届时可能和USB 3.0产生竞争。作为用户，我更拥护Intel的Light Peak一统江湖，免除诸多繁杂的接口，也许这也是Intel希望看到的。
Intel Corp.'s decision to wait until 2011 to support USB 3.0 in PC chipsets will put the wide adoption of the interconnect on hold for a year, said a senior technology manager at a top tier PC maker.
The issue is the second to dog a major USB initiative, following the virtual collapse of UWB-based wireless USB which is effectively dead, said the source who asked not to be named. In its place, interest is now building for 60GHz technology, but separate industry groups need to unite to ensure the future of it, he added.
Without chipset support from Intel for USB 3.0 aka SuperSpeed USB, adoption in 2010 will be limited to "a few high-end graphics workstations and consumer systems," said the source. That's because system makers will be forced to buy discrete host controllers for their motherboards, a relatively high cost.
"It's hard to commit to an emerging technology like this when the key silicon enablers are not making it a priority," said the source, referring to Intel. "You get into a chicken-and-egg situation," he added.
The 5GHz USB 3.0 spec got plenty of attention at the Intel Developer Forum last month with a dozen chip, system and software vendors showing products with throughput up to 250MBps.
At the time one source said Intel originally planned to sample chipsets supporting USB 3.0 in early 2010, then shifted its plans out a year. The PC technology manager confirmed that report. An Intel spokesperson said he had not heard of any delay, but declined further comment.
USB 3.0 "won't get real traction until it gets integrated in the chipsets," said the PC manager.
That poses a problem for a handful of chip makers rolling out products such as storage controllers for the technology. But it would not be the first time Intel and Microsoft initiative managers have rallied the industry to support a new spec only to have their own key product teams move slowly to adopt it.
The Microsoft and Intel "tech and strategy groups are not always aligned with the product development teams that are in the mode of trying to make revenue and prioritize what to integrate," the PC manager said.
Intel's chipset teams are currently focused on supporting Nehalem, Intel's first processor to use an integrated memory controller. They also are working through a transition to the 5GHz PCIe 2.0 spec.
"They need to prioritize their time and resources on a whole host of things and have to consider the compelling needs for USB 3.0 now versus 18 months later," the source said.
Lost UWB
Meanwhile the push for wireless USB has "lost its window of opportunity," said the PC manager, pointing to the closure of many startups and an industry group backing it. Indeed, one market watcher predicted UWB in general will virtually die off by 2013.
"Now with 60GHz technology getting a lot of executive ear time, we don't believe UWB will gain traction," the PC manager said.
However, 60GHz is no slam dunk as the next big wireless interface for systems, he added. Contention over the market direction for the technology between the Wireless Gigabit Alliance and the Wireless HD could slow or even derail adoption, he said.
"It's a discontinuity in the industry, and we are not interested in supporting multiple organizations for one technology," he said. "The companies in both groups need to take a mature, adult approach and merge the two," he added.
On the technical front, a handful of 60GHz startups should leverage existing UWB silicon technologies so they can concentrate their efforts on the challenge of designing 60GHz radios in CMOS, he said. Existing 60GHz startups are wasting time and resources designing baseband and media access controllers rather than licensing available IP.
"I've seen this movie ten times before," he added.
Besides SiBeam, one of the early pioneers in 60GHz, Beam Networks in Tel Aviv and a startup called Nitero in Australia are among those developing 60GHz chips.
PC makers believe 60 GHz offers uses for TV, PC and handheld systems in the home and for office PCs that don't need a wired link to external monitors.
The Wi-Fi Alliance could act as a certification and testing agency for the technology, the source said. He believes if all goes well it could make it into mainstream products in late 2011.
