Samsung’s Galaxy S II was the first smartphone to ship with support for Mobile High-definition Link, better known as MHL. It’s essentially a technology that enables the microUSB port on a mobile phone to also output video via HDMI. When you connect an MHL compatible phone to an MHL compatible TV, the TV will also be able to charge the phone, which is great if you spontaneously decide to have a Lord of the Rings marathon at your friend’s place. Today TranSwitch is introducing a new standard called HDmobile. It’s similar to MHL, except that it supports the newer USB 3.0 standard, and adds Display Port support. Like MHL, it will also support charging, though you’ll likely need an HDmobile enabled television … and we’re pretty sure those don’t even exist right now.
When are we going to see the first HDmobile enabled devices? No idea. Will the industry rally around HDmobile or is everyone just going to wait for MHL 2.0? Again, no idea. Right now HDmobile is nothing more than a specification that lives within the text of fancy press release.
The more important question is does this chip have something to do with the new Apple iPhone? Rumor has it that the sixth generation Jesus Phone will come with a new dock connector that’s much smaller than the current 30 pin solution. If Apple could combine the speed of USB 3.0 with the convenience of both HDMI and Display Port support, then think about what sort of connectivity options will be enabled. You could come home from work, slip your iPhone into a dock that’s connected to a keyboard, mouse, and monitor, and then do everything you need to do on your large display. We also know the A5X in the iPad 3 can output to a 2048 x 1536, which is more than what most people have on their display at home.
Something to keep in the back of your mind.