USB connectors could be made with a hole, enabling a ball bearing in the port to engage (similar to hex bit holders), while maintaining compatibility with their unequipped counterparts.
The bearing could be simply spring-loaded to provide moderate resistance to accidental disengagement (along with the satisfying click of engagement).
Additional options include: • Manual locking for things like chargers. • Electronic dynamic locking for drives while writing data. • A hole in only 1 side of the plug so you can decide whether to use the locking ability. • The port could detect an otherwise undetectable insertion (a broken device, just a cable) • Manual unlocking for the inevitable times that Windows refuses to let go.
Disclaimer: You all know that by 'ball bearing' I mean a steel ball, such as might be used in a bearing. The 'bearing ball' if you will (this disclaimer made me think of a 'Ball-bearing USB', which would be the phone/laptop equivalent of truck nuts).-- marklar, Jul 05 2025 An illustration would be cool. Here’s a prepaid bun. [+]-- doctorremulac3, Jul 05 2025 You could take it to the next step & have it lockable with a key for security (similar to a Kensington Lock). I think "above" rather than "instead of", so the spring-loaded easy option is there, but you can also lock it properly as well. Keyhole on the device, rather than the cable (as per Kensington Locks).-- neutrinos_shadow, Jul 08 2025 The disadvantage of a connection that's locked in place is that anyone who trips on a cable (that for example is connecting a laptop to a printer or another periphery) will drag the laptop off the table where it will smash on the floor - I have seen this happen at college. Apple solved this problem with their magsafe connectors. USB's are also not used anymore by any of the design studios I work with and Apple computers (which everyone uses) have no USB slot on them. Apart from all of that..... it's still a very practical idea - would prefer some "halfbaked" aspect to feature..... ie all ball bearings from recycled biros as used on the now defunct Tesla factory clipboards???-- xenzag, Jul 08 2025 random, halfbakery