Intel has almost finished initial development of a fiber optic technology called Light Peak that would connect devices at speeds up to 10 Gbps in each direction and, according to Intel CTO Justin Rattner, increase to speeds of 100 Gbps within ten years. At 10 Gbps, a full-length Blu-Ray movie could be transferred in less than 30 seconds to another device.
Apple reportedly worked with Intel on Light Peak, leading to the belief that Apple will be among the first users.
Light Peak is intended to replace USB, FireWire, HDMI, SATA and SCSI as a standard for connecting devices. The 10 Gbps is double the 5 Gbps of the newly released USB 3.0. Unlike USB, Light Peak cannot power devices, such as for charging the battery in portable devices.
Light Peak can support multiple protocols simultaneously on a single fiber optic cable, which means it could be used for multiple devices such as displays, disk drives, docking stations and portable devices.
Fiber optic wires mean smaller connectors and longer, thinner, and more flexible cables.
Rattner said Light Peak bandwidth is practically unlimited, “We expect to increase that speed [above 10 Gbps] dramatically. You’ll see multiple displays being served by a single Light Peak connection. There’s almost no limit to the bandwidth. Fibers can carry trillions of bits per second.”
Intel expects Light Peak and USB 3.0 will coexist. Light Peak cables could be plugged in to a USB port.
“We see Light Peak and USB 3.0 as being complementary,” said an Intel spokesperson. “Light Peak enables USB and other protocols to run together on a single, longer cable and we expect both to exist together in the market and on the same platform at the same time. ”
Intel has said it expects Light Peak components will be available to equipment manufacturers this year and expects products in 2011. Intel showed Light Peak for the first time publicly at this year’s European research showcase in Brussels, Belgium.