Can someone help me get caught to 2024 technology?
@Bigwaff has linked to a pretty comprehensive guide - I'll try and pick out the Mac/iPad relevant details. Let's be clear here - the terminology surrounding USB-C and Thunderbolt is an absolute train wreck.
How does it compare to USB-C?
It
is USB-C.
USB-C is the not-particularly-new "universal" multi-protocol connector and cabling system - and associated stack of standards - that aims to replace USB-A, Lightning, HDMI, DisplayPort and proprietary charging connectors & cables. "USB-C" alone doesn't tell you much beyond that the connector will physically fit in the hole and not blow anything up. I think the
minimum specs for a USB-C port
in a computer are 1.5A @ 5V of power and USB 2.0 (480Mbps) data transfer - potentially, it does a lot more but you
must check the specs of teh computer, the device you are connecting
and the cable to know if something will work.
I see it has this: "USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4"
What is that?
I don't think it does - according to
the tech specs on Apple.com the iPad Air has a "USB-C port with support for charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 (up to 10Gb/s). No Thunderbolt.
So i It should connect, with a suitable USB-C cable, to USB-C chargers (including the current MacBook chargers & hubs with charging support), USB-C displays and USB-C peripherals that don't
require USB 4 or Thunderbolt. It will also connect, with the appropriate USB-C to USB-A/USB-B/DisplayPort/HDMI adapter or cable, to devices with dedicated ports.
Note that some new Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 devices
do fall back to USB 3 if you connect a non-USB4 computer (but with some impact on their performance/features) - the only way to know is to read the specs.
It will charge and sync with a new USB-C/Thunderbolt equipped Mac. A USB-C-to-A cable should let it charge and sync with your old Mac (assuming your version of MacOS supports it) or any old iPad/iPhone chargers you have although it may only get a trickle charge. One thing to beware of - the supplied "charge" cable is only good for charging and USB 2 data transfer - you'll need a faster cable to use USB 3 speeds. All this, of course, is subject to whether the device is supported by iPad OS or the iPad hardware.
The
"USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4" refers to the iPad Pro -
and all the Macs with the regular M1/M2/M3 processor. Macs with M1/2/3 Pro or Max processors just have "Thunderbolt 4" ports.
Sigh. Ok. Let's tell it as it is today, rather than try a history lesson. USB4 is the latest version of the USB protocols which (since USB 3.2) have been built on the USB-C connector system. USB4 added a new 40Gbps speed, (based on the 40Gbps protocol used in Intel's Thunderbolt 3) and adding some new features - really ending Thunderbolt as a competing, proprietary Intel-only tech. However, like previous USB specs, USB4 includes a lot of "optional" features so it's hard to know exactly what a "USB4" port can and can't do. So, "Thunderbolt 4" has become an Intel certification and branding scheme under banners such as "the USB-C that does it all" that is basically USB4 but makes a lot of optional USB-C/USB4 features mandatory.
So "USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4" means that it's a USB-C connector with support for 40Gbps
including compatibility with Thunderbolt devices (which isn't required for USB4). The reason that it's not just "Thunderbolt 4" seems to be just that TB4 branding requires support for
two external displays via Thunderbolt and the M1/M2/M3 only support one internal and one external. The Macs with "Pro" and "Max" chips can support more external displays so their ports can be branded as "Thunderbolt 4".
and make sure I don't buy new devices with outdated technology
Of course USB4 v2 and Thunderbolt 5 are in the pipeline, but they're not out yet. That said, Apple's WWDC conference is only a week away, which may or may not see new Mac products, so I'd at least wait until then. The iPads have been updated very recently so they're safe.
Essentially, the iPad Air is a generation or so behind the iPad Pro and doesn't have USB4 or Thunderbolt capacity - but that's how iPad models roll these days and unless you know of some specific need for USB4/Thunderbolt features you probably won't want to pay the extra for an iPad Pro. Having a USB-C port makes sense in the long run, if you're going to get a new MacBook Pro - but you may need a USB A to C cable to sync with your existing Mac (and if your Mac is truly vintage you might want to check whether it
will sync with a new iPad over a cable).
If you're in a country where the iPad doesn't come with a charger, bear in mind that a new MacBook will come with a USB-C charger that will also charge an iPad, and you might want to look at getting a multi-port charger or charging dock that will charge both rather than another single-port iPad charger.
