Apple's USB-C multiport adapter - What do you use the USB-A port for?

[MareLuce]

re: Apple's USB-C multiport adapter

What do you use the USB-A port for? My use case is: cell phone to hotel room TV to watch Netflix.

I need the USB-C port to power the device adapter, right?

 

[waw74]

ethernet adapter?

external drive?

charging your watch or AirPods?

 

[MareLuce]

OK thank you @waw74

 

[MareLuce]

So on this current Apple usb-c multiport adapter,
I can both charge and move data through both the USB-C and USB-A port?

 

[joevt]

USB-C port is only for charging (you see the icon above the USB-C port is not a USB icon).

Power from USB-C is not required to use the HDMI port or the USB-A port. You might want to connect power if you're going to be doing something for a long time such as watching movies.

USB-A can connect any USB device. Anything that uses a standard USB device class driver should work. Audio, mass storage, video?

 

[MareLuce]

. You might want to connect power if you're going to be doing something for a long time such as watching movies.

Could you say more about that?

It would seem like either I definitely need it or I definitely would not need power to make the adapter work. Not based on if I’m doing something for a long time or not.

I wish the documentation were clear about what’s possible with each USB

 

[PaulD-UK]

@@MareLuce "I wish the documentation were clear about what’s possible with each USB"

It's written on the case.
Three pictograms:
USB-C Power only (input to connect a USB-C PSU to the host Mac)
HDMI output
USB-A has the symbol for a USB 2 output port, to connect USB 2 devices to the host Mac.

 

[joevt]

Could you say more about that?

It would seem like either I definitely need it or I definitely would not need power to make the adapter work. Not based on if I’m doing something for a long time or not.

I wish the documentation were clear about what’s possible with each USB

You don't need power to make the adapter work. You need power if the battery runs out.

USB is possible with the USB-A port.
The USB-C port is only for power.