Android M To Embrace USB Type-C and MIDI

[wraggster]

USB Type-C (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#USB_type-C) connection is showing up in more and more devices, and Google is rolling support for the interface (http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/05/android-m-embraces-usb-type-c-midi-devices/) in its Android M operating system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_M). The most significant additions relate to the USB Power Delivery spec (http://www.usb.org/developers/powerdelivery/). Charging will now work in both directions. That effectively means that Type-C devices can be used as external batteries for other devices. Android M is also finally introducing a feature that musicmakers have been long asking for: MIDI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIDI) support. This builds on some of the audio features Google introduced in Android 5, including reduction in latency, multichannel audio stream mixing, and support for USB microphones, amplifiers, speakers, and other accessories. As others have written (http://superpowered.com/androidaudiopathlatency/), music and media creation apps are much more prevalent in iOS than they are in Android, and Google hopes turning that around.

http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/15/05/28/1838208/android-m-to-embrace-usb-type-c-and-midi