The development trend of the connector industry

As a bridge for communication within a circuit system, connectors have the characteristics of being easy to maintain and upgrade. At the same time, they can simplify the assembly process of electronic products, improve the flexibility of design and production, thereby enhancing the automation level of the entire system and reducing costs. Therefore, the performance of connectors will affect the operational efficiency and reliability of the entire system. In the future, the diversity, performance, and quality of connector products will become important factors in the upgrading and development process of the entire manufacturing industry. The widespread use of high-performance connectors is the trend of future manufacturing development.
The four major development trends in the connector industry are high frequency and high speed, wireless transmission, miniaturization, and intelligence.
With the rapid development of 5G, IoT, AI, and intelligent driving, the market has put forward new demands for connector technology, and more emerging fields have a strong demand for connectors. Therefore, in communication devices, connectors carry the task of data connection between terminals, and the development of 5G will drive the growth of demand for wireless connectors. In the field of automotive applications, with the continuous advancement of automotive intelligence, in addition to the data connection of connectors required by existing engine management systems and other equipment, more advanced in car entertainment systems, intelligent driving systems, and other devices have an increasingly strong demand for connectors. In industry, connectors need greater reliability and performance. With the construction of industrial Internet, more reliable connectors are needed between industrial equipment and networks.   

Traditional connectors only transmit a single signal, such as video, control, or data signals. With the increasing thinness of electronic products, connectors have shifted from single signal transmission to multiple signal transmission. The same cable can simultaneously transmit optical, electrical, or other signals, which is also conducive to saving space and improving system reliability.
Previously, connectors were used for numerous contacts, filling many expansion card slots. However, in the 5G era, a fiber optic device may have dozens of connectors, which requires the use of smaller connectors to achieve higher performance connections.

With the advent of the AI era, connectors will not only achieve simple transmission functions. In the future, in switch mode power supplies, in addition to ensuring the data of electrical signals, connectors may be able to perform simple intelligent judgment and protection, output correct data while avoiding power damage. Smaller, more convenient, more precise, lower cost, and more intelligent connector technology will be the development trend.