Nintendo isn't saying much about the Switch console beyond that teaser video we've all watched far too many times trying to spot any extra details hidden within it.
But as we wait for the Nintendo live presentation on January 12, which will officially reveal all the details, an unofficial accessory for the hardware was accidentally posted online. It has revealed a very positive detail about the Switch: Nintendo opted to use a USB-C port for charging (Read our What is USB-C? An Explainer).
According to WCCFtech, EB Games in Australia listed three unofficial accessories for the Switch offered by accessories brand @play. The listings have since been taken down, but they included a Starter Pack, Starter Plus Pack, and a charging cable.
The Starter Pack includes a carry case with space for six game cartridges as well as the Switch tablet, two screen protectors, and a cleaning cloth. The Starter Pack Plus simply adds a pair of earphones to that line-up. It's the charging cable that grabbed everyone's attention, though. It's a USB-A to USB-C cable, which means the USB-A plugs into a power outlet plug, and the USB-C connects into a USB-C port on the Switch.
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USB-C has a number of advantages over other, older USB standards. For one, it's reversible meaning you don't have to fumble around trying to plug the cable in the right way. It also offers higher power and data transfer speeds. This means the Switch could (and hopefully will) support fast charging as the cable can cope with up to 100 Watts of power draw. As for data transfers, USB-C is rated as SuperSpeed+, which translates to up to 10 Gbps (1,280 MB/s).This could result in very fast game data transfers, or more novel applications, for example, connection to an external GPU... maybe one contained in the Switch's dock, perhaps?
There's still five weeks until Nintendo unveils the Switch hardware properly, but this accidental listing certainly counts as a positive. Let's hope there's many more come January 12.