In the late 20th century, peripherals such as keyboards, headphones and storage devices required various cables and connectors to connect to computers. The industry needed to simplify and consolidate those connectors — and, with its introduction in 1996, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard began to establish itself as the default choice for electronic devices. However, the connector’s predictable, interoperable plug and small size were merely its most visible advantages. USB also became an industry standard for powering devices — and its importance has only increased as rechargeable devices such as smartphones have proliferated with ever-expanding battery capacity. Each iteration of USB has improved its ability to deliver power faster — and more improvements are coming soon. USB Power Delivery (PD) and USB Extended Power Range (EPR), the next steps in the technology’s evolution, are set to create faster, more powerful wired connections.…