If you bought a computer or a phone in the last five years, you know what a dongle is. They connect headphones to charging ports, laptops to TVs or card readers, and so on. Today, it's hard to do many everyday tech tasks without them, which makes dongles a big business. That's in large part due to Apple, which removed its headphone jack from the iPhone lineup and switched almost entirely to USB-C (now Thunderbolt 3) ports on its computers in 2016.
Apple, Belkin and other accessory companies have created a huge market for these dongles, which is estimated by Facts and Factors to bring in more than $25 billion by 2027. But with wireless tech constantly on the heels of adapters like these, companies that once made most of their money on dongles – Belkin CEO Steve Malony said around 70% of its business was once made from dongles – are investing in the future of device connections.
Watch the video to learn more.
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