The "C" in USB-C doesn't stand for "connectivity," "charging," or the connector's shape — it's simply the designation for the connector that follows Type-A and Type-B. Despite widespread myths, the letter has no hidden meaning.
USB 1.0 launched in January 1996 with only Type-A (flat rectangle for hosts) and Type-B (chunky square for peripherals). USB 2.0 in 2000 added mini and micro connectors, while color coding (black for 2.0, blue for 3.0, red/yellow for always-on power) became a loose convention manufacturers often ignored.
USB Type-C was finalized in August 2014, solving major pain points: it's thin enough for phones, reversible, and uses one shape for both host and device. The connector itself only defines the shape — capabilities like speed and power delivery depend on the device and cable. USB4 Version 2.0 now pushes up to 80Gbps over the same Type-C connector.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing