China’s “GPMI cable” refers to the General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI), a new digital audio/video and data connector standard developed by a consortium of over 50 Chinese companies, including major players like Huawei, Hisense, and TCL. It’s designed to be a competitor and potential successor to existing standards like HDMI, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt.
All-in-One Solution: GPMI aims to simplify connectivity by combining multiple signal types—including uncompressed video data, compressed or uncompressed digital audio data, control signals, network traffic, and power supply—into a single cable. This reduces cable clutter and simplifies device connections.
– GPMI Type-B: This version uses a proprietary connector and offers an impressive bandwidth of up to 192 Gbps and power delivery of up to 480W. This significantly surpasses current standards.
– GPMI Type-C: This version is compatible with the existing USB-C connector, providing up to 96 Gbps bandwidth and 240W power delivery. Even this is more than double the 40 Gbps limit of USB4 and Thunderbolt 4.
Applications: GPMI is designed to support ultra-high-definition video content, such as 8K at 120 frames per second, and is intended for various applications, including:
– Home entertainment (TVs, gaming consoles, set-top boxes)
– Automotive/transportation
– Industrial applications
Unique Features:
– Bidirectional Transmission: Supports multi-channel bidirectional video and data transmission.
– Fast Wake-up: Utilizes a sideband interaction channel to reduce device wake-up times.
– Mesh Networking: Enables mesh networking capabilities.
– Content Protection: Incorporates a new content protection protocol called ADCP, based on China’s national security cryptographic algorithms (SM3 and SM4), which is claimed to be faster than HDCP.
– Device Control: Includes the ability to control connected devices, similar to HDMI-CEC.
Strategic Importance: The development of GPMI is seen as a strategic move by China to establish its own global connectivity standard, reducing reliance on Western-controlled technologies and their associated licensing fees. This aligns with China’s broader goal of technological self-sufficiency and fostering greater control over its industrial development.
The GPMI specification was officially released to the public on February 28, 2025, and some major Chinese tech companies are already planning to integrate it into their future products. Its widespread adoption outside of China will depend on market acceptance, interoperability, and competition with existing established standards.
