Featured Articles
  • Three Companies, One Mission: Reduce Plastics in Electronic Connectors

    The search for a regenerative bioplastic is on! Connector companies partner with a biomaterial specialist to find a viable alternative to petroleum-based plastics for the electronics industry and beyond. Connector manufacturers Harwin and Nicomatic have teamed up with biomaterial innovation specialist The New Materialist to develop bio-based alternatives to petrochemical plastics. Their mission, the NivoraRead More

  • XPO, Addressing the I/O Panel Bottleneck

    Introduced at OFC 2026, the new XPO pluggable modules provide a solution to the challenges of signal density, thermal management, field serviceability, and power efficiency. Continuing advances in artificial intelligence face multiple constraints including power consumption, access to memory, thermal management, and limitations of copper connectivity. Solving these challenges could still result in hobbled systemsRead More

Technology

Co-Packaged Optics Are On the Horizon

A progression of system packaging options provide a roadmap to supporting the high speeds inherent in next-generation equipment. As 112G becomes a reality, co-packaged optics offer the best signal integrity. Since the advent of multigigabit signaling, design engineers have struggled to find ways to minimize the negative effects of conducting high-speed signals through copper tracesRead More

USB4 is Coming to a Device Near You

In 2021, we’ll see USB4 begin to appear in computing products and peripherals. The latest iteration of the USB standard will be fast and backward compatible. In the connector world, upgrades usually mean two things: higher speed and more power. This time around, the arrival of a new USB connector also means more compatibility. InRead More

Medical Interconnect Solutions Will Spur Innovation Across Markets

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed medical interconnect providers to create new strategies, capabilities, and products in 2020. In 2021, we predict that those lessons will transfer to new medical devices and care processes, and influence capabilities for other markets as well. Connector companies are adept at aligning their capabilities with the challenging requirements of device manufacturersRead More

New High-Speed Information and Communication Technologies Will Affect Our Lives and Businesses in 2021

In the year ahead, we’ll see AI, IoT and IIoT technologies, cloud computing, 5G communications, blockchain, UAVs, and robotics impact nearly every market. These transformative technologies are becoming more pervasive and more proficient. As we move into 2021, multiple breakthrough technologies are being implemented that will affect our daily lives and shape technological progress forRead More

Disruptive Innovation in the U.S. and China

Longtime industry observer Bob Hult shares his informed opinions, saying that it’s time for all levels of government and industry to recognize that China has become a pragmatic competitor fully capable of disruptive innovation. Doing so may help Western economies better prepare to confront the challenges ahead.  The United States has enjoyed decades of recognition as the world’s economic, technology, and military leader. Innovators including ThomasRead More

Five Technology Trends Driving New Connector Designs

The connector world is constantly evolving to support dynamic market trends. Emerging high-speed connectivity products are currently responding to a number of technology trends and, once released to market, will serve, inspire, and enable a multitude of next-gen, high-speed applications for many years to come. As businesses and consumers demand more convenience, mobility, power, andRead More

Remote Work Opens Network Infrastructures to Security Risks

As the workplace shifts to the home, network security becomes a greater challenge. Hardware authentication, strong encryption, and shielded cabling will become essential in computers and IoT products. The coronavirus pandemic has set the stage for a comprehensive shift in workplace settings and network infrastructures. Significant reorganization of company IT structures are needed as moreRead More

The Evolution, Proliferation, and Future of PCIe

PCI Express is set to release its Generation 6.0 specification in 2021, expanding speeds and bandwidth, and enabling new capabilities needed for cloud-based architectures. A new generation of PCIe connectors is ready now. PCI Express (PCIe) is a popular peripheral bus architecture widely employed in enterprise servers, storage devices, cloud computing equipment, PCs, mobile devices,Read More

2020 Interconnect Innovations eBook

In this eBook, 29 suppliers with decades of proven experience developing innovative interconnect solutions share in-depth engineering insights and product highlights for our increasingly interconnected world. The articles and products collected here are all aimed at helping designer engineers overcome obstacles and satisfy the unique connectivity demands of new and rapidly evolving applications across virtuallyRead More

Finding the Right Route for 5G RF Connectors

The arrival of 5G RF networks will bring safe, reliable autonomous vehicles closer to reality. To make this possible, the integrity of RF transmissions must be protected. 5G RF networks promise to transform the driving experience. The ability to handle high-speed data from multiple sensors within both our vehicles and the urban infrastructure around themRead More

E-Mobility Expands in Recreational Vehicles

Electric drivetrains are moving into more off-road categories of recreational vehicles. Snowmobiles, personal watercraft, ATVs, and other powersport vehicles are actively adopting connectivity solutions used in motorcycle, e-bike, and automotive designs. Although the development of electric drivetrains for cars, trucks, and mass transit is well underway, two-stroke-engine powersport vehicles such as snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, andRead More

New Technologies Force Heavy Equipment OEMs to Rethink Connector Solutions

As new technologies are introduced in transportation, agriculture, and heavy equipment markets, traditional connector choices are being challenged. Are M8 and M12 connectors still the right choice? By Mike Schreiner, DC Solutions Engineering and Market Development Manager, Phoenix Contact USA Should heavy equipment OEMs try to wedge traditional connectors into new digital technologies or shouldRead More

2026 World Connector Market Handbook 2025-2031F
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