NEC announced their controller µPD720200 has been certified for USB 3.0, a proof that beside prototypes being demoed at the IDF, some companies are already entering mass production.
It features a PCI Express 2.0 interface to be connected to the motherboard controller, either directly via a dedicated line or via a PCI Express slot if it is hosted on a extension card, to bring compatibility to the new format for an older computer.NEC expects this new USB 3.0 format to have captured 30% of the peripheral market in 2013, a rather slow adoption if this prediction turns true. This would then indicate that the USB 3.0 will remain synonym of expensive or high-end peripherals or Pro products. It might also be a way for NEC to make OEM and customers aware that the company does not intend to sale this new controller at a low price.
