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Changing from light to electricity (and vice versa) is relatively slow, expensive, and cumbersome.

Additionally, we don’t have a decent way of transferring significant power over fiber optics.

So since everything has to have copper power fed to it anyway, unless there is some compelling reason (like distance) to make optical/fibers disadvantages worth it, copper only is usually simpler and better.

At least for now.



If memory serves the original plan for Light Peak was power wires and shielding braided around a fiber optic core.


Hence why we ended up with USB-C cables.

Less fragile, similar data rate, simpler BOM, less sensitive to dirt and debris, plenty of power.


What's the minimum bend radius for plastic fiber these days?


Larger than ‘getting kinked in a desk drawer’. Though smaller than when the market made the decision of course.

You still need the copper wires to do power delivery, so either you end up with an even thicker cable, or multi-purpose the copper cables for signaling too.


Around 10 mm for OS2 cables.




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