If you feel that the current USB 3.0 devices are already fast enough, check this out then – USB 3.0 will soon be able to transfer data with speed of up to 10Gbps, twice of its current capability of 5Gbps and putting the standard on par with Thunderbolt. The new 10Gbps enhancement was officially announced earlier today by the standard’s advocate, the USB 3.0 Promoter Group.

The increase of data transfer speed will not affect compatibility with existing USB 3.0 software stacks and device class protocols. Furthermore, hubs and devices that utilize the new 10Gbps USB 3.0 will be compatible with existing USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 standards as well as existing cables and connectors.

The industry review for the new 10Gbps USB 3.0 will take place in the first quarter of 2013 while the final specification is expected to be completed by the middle of the year. While we have no idea on how fast manufacturers will adopt to the new 10Gbps enhancement on USB 3.0 but we are certainly eager to see it in action very soon.