The Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) standard, beloved of Roku and Android phone manufacturers, is about to get exciting: an update coming in September will allow phones to spit out 4K video from their USB ports.
The upgrade, MHL 3.0, will add 4K support to the increasingly popular media standard. It will allow mobile devices to pump out 3840×2160 video at up to 30 frames per second — that’s up from the 1080p capability of MHL 2.0. The new standard can also transmit data and video simultaneously, and will allow a device to draw up to 10 watts of power to charge at the same time as providing video.
Unlike competing standards like Miracast and AirPlay, MHL 3.0 requires a physical cable connection, using adapters to connects a mobile device to a TV. But none of the competition — including the wired SlimPort system used by Google’s Nexus devices — currently offers support for 4K. So, if it’s high-definition or nothing for you, you should be pretty fired up by the fact that the new standard — backed by the likes of Nokia, Samsung, Toshiba and Sony — becomes available in September. [MHL via Ars Technica]