Honest question (and maybe I can Google it), but MiniUSB existed before Micro and generally was less flimsy, but I'm guessing Micro offered more functionality?
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That's what I thought but wasn't sure. I work for a company that still makes devices with MicroUSB connectors and I can say, that someone was very wrong.
Also, if we're talking about "plugging for charging" there's still the BARREL CONNECTOR that's going great.
The only problem was when you end up screwing around and use a 19V one (i.e. standard laptop) on a 12V device (my beloved QNAP... rest in peace!).
🤨 Barrel connectors were terrible because they came in multiple similar sizes and the same size could provide vastly different voltages. You were always looking for a different sized barrel connector.
I did once design a product with a coaxial barrel power connector. But I used it as an on/off switch, external charger connector and external power port. Sometimes there’s no way around it.
But to use a barrel jack for a phone (particularly a smart phone, see your complaint about Micro USB becoming universal) you'd need another port to transfer the data. Micro USB was hands down the best solution at the time, providing data and power in a slim form factor and being easy to wire up.
Weirdly, MiniUSB is more flimsy than MicroUSB. Yes, that's stupid and backwards. I had a phone with one, around 2007, it was aweful and the phone died because the mini-USB socket fell off the phone circuit board. I replaced it with an Android phone with microUSB.
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Micro is just smaller, and someone believed that "smaller = more practical".
The only problem was when you end up screwing around and use a 19V one (i.e. standard laptop) on a 12V device (my beloved QNAP... rest in peace!).
https://youtu.be/fBrhD9IflU4?si=V05d7rNnYofj3tzk
An LG G3 with induction charger: no more fiddling.