Pictured: the USB 3.0 connector at the bottom of the Galaxy Note 3
Launched last month, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a powerful phone with some of the latest technologies on board. Notably, the phone is the first in the world to launch with a USB 3.0 connector, instead of the more standard micro USB port that has been used in Android, Windows and BlackBerry phones for several years now. While the connector allows for faster charging and faster file transfers while connected to a USB port, the new shape has caused confusion.
USB 3.0 cable plugged into a Note 3 (top), compared to micro USB / USB 2.0 (bottom)
The most important thing to remember is that the Galaxy Note 3 is backwards compatible with micro USB – just plug in your microUSB cable as normal, and you’ll find it fits nicely into the left side of the port.
Left: a USB 3.0 charging cable
Right: A micro USB / USB 2.0 charging cable
In fact, if you have a closer look at the USB 3.0 charging cable that comes with the Note 3, you can see that one segment is precisely the same shape as micro USB, so Note 3 cables, docks and other accessories will still work just fine. You’ll only be able to charge and transfer data at USB 2.0 speeds, but the connection’s efficacy won’t be affected.
A Note 3 sitting slightly off-centre in a micro USB dock
The only potential issue comes with microUSB docks and the Note 3. As you can see in the image above, the Note 3 will sit slightly off-centre. That’s because the whole of the Note 3’s USB 3.0 port is aligned to the centre, which puts the micro-USB section of it slightly to the left of centre. It’s not a dealbreaker and the dock still works fine, but it’s something you might notice.
So there you have it – everything you might need to know about USB 3.0, microUSB and the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. If anything’s not clear and you have any additional questions, feel free to share them in the comments below. You can also reach us on Twitter @mobilefun or on Facebook at Love Your Mobile.