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.
https://gizmodo.com/what-is-mhl-5873143
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]
