Micro USB is the bane of my existence

Last year, my best friend bought me an HP Sprocket portable photo printer. This, she said, would take my journaling game to the next level. After a short demo and dozens of journaling TikToks, I was stoked. And then I unboxed the damn thing.

Another freaking Micro USB port. And right after I’d confidently gotten rid of all but one emergency Micro USB cable.

USB-C debuted in 2014. The whole point was to create a universal connector that would transfer data and power quickly, while also eliminating the scourge of proprietary chargers. The first HP Sprocket came out in 2016, a time when USB-C was mainly embraced by higher-end laptops and Android smartphones. But by the time my second-edition Sprocket debuted in 2018 — the last time this little printer was updated — the standard was starting to become mainstream.

It’s not just a random HP photo printer. A few weeks ago, I bought a cat nail grinder that unfortunately charges via Micro USB. I reviewed a stress calming wearable in 2023 that relied on Micro USB. Peruse social media, and you’ll find people griping about all kinds of newly purchased gadgets that still have the outdated connector: kitchen appliances, the latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, just about every Roku streaming device, and Garmin bike lights. Adding to consumer confusion, sometimes product listings don’t specify which USB cable a gadget comes with. The ports and charging cable on the Roku Streaming Stick 4K are simply described as “USB.” The photos are ambiguous. You’d have to launch the “View in 3D” feature to find out it uses Micro USB.

After a full decade of USB-C, how is it that we’re still dealing with this old port?

“There’s so many factors like costs, supply chain, inventory, and inventory in the [retail] channel,” says Jeff Ravencraft, president and COO of the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). The USB-IF is a nonprofit tasked with promoting and maintaining USB standards and counts tech giants like HP, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft among its members.

For some gadgets, long refresh cycles are a big reason why you might buy something in 2025 and still see a Micro USB connector. Take airplanes. Ravencraft notes that the USB-IF has been working with Panasonic Avionics, a leading provider of inflight entertainment and connectivity, to get USB-C into airplane seats. The problem is that it might take you a long time to see updated ports on a future flight. Planes are designed to last 20–30 years, and upgrading an entire fleet is a costly endeavor. You see the same problem with cars, which typically have five- to 10-year refresh cycles.

Compounding that problem is inventory. It’s entirely possible that HP has pallets of second-edition Sprockets sitting in Amazon’s warehouse and across thousands of Best Buy stockrooms. “Until those channels clear, that’s when you’re going to start seeing change,” says Ravencraft.

Cost, of course, is also a factor, but not necessarily a huge one. For some companies, particularly manufacturers in Asia, being more affordable than the competition is what sets them apart. If that’s the name of the game, every little bit of cost savings counts. But there may not be a ton to gain by going that route anymore. “Is a microUSB connector that much cheaper than a Type C connector? Probably not,” says Ravencraft.

That said, there’s good news. The European Union began enforcing a regulation this past December stating that “all new devices sold in the EU must now support USB-C charging.” This is objectively a great thing. Less e-waste! The rules explicitly apply to mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, video game consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, and earbuds. (Laptops aren’t subject to the mandate until April 2026.) And because most tech makers want access to the European market, this kind of legislation has the knock-on effect of benefitting consumers outside the EU. Case in point: Apple, a longtime holdout against USB-C, finally caved and ditched the Lightning port with the iPhone 15.

Overall, this means that most new electronics you buy will have USB-C. Hallelujah! Unfortunately, the mandate isn’t airtight. Take my HP Sprocket. The EU mandate doesn’t say a thing about printers. And what about other gadgets like drones, external microphones, smartwatches, and smart glasses? The EU’s directive doesn’t forbid proprietary chargers so long as a gadget can also charge via USB-C. For example, as we’ve reported before, a MacBook can still use MagSafe because it can charge by USB-C, too.

But let’s say HP were to finally get with the program and, by this time next year, there’s a third-edition HP Sprocket and the only upgrade is a USB-C port. As much as I’d love to throw my money to the wind just to rid my life of Micro USB, that’d be a waste of a perfectly good device. And the longer the device lasts, the greater the chance that you might need to buy a new Micro USB cable.

Case in point, I have a Shure MV7 mic with a Micro USB port. It was launched in 2020 and discontinued in 2024, but it still works beautifully. The only problem is that I occasionally need to take it with me on the go. My laptop only has USB-C ports, and all my existing Micro USB cables have USB-A on the other end. Using a dongle, of which I have too many, should have worked, except my audio sounded like dirt anytime I did. Sure, I could’ve bought the latest version of the mic for $280. But a nice, braided Micro USB to USB-C cable costs $7. And that’s how I ended up buying a new Micro USB cable in 2025.

Even so, Ravencraft assures me it’s only a matter of time. USB-C adoption, he says, is going well and is rapidly increasing. As more governments follow the EU’s lead, USB-C’s total dominance will be inevitable. One day, I’ll be able to chuck my Micro USB cables with confidence. That day just isn’t today. Today, I’ll have to settle for holding onto my two Micro USB cables and praying no one ever gifts me another Micro USB gadget.