The USB OTG port is really a very simple and equally convenient component present on almost all smartphones and tablets: what is it and what is it for
In the past there were very few smartphones with USB OTG support, today the scenario is opposite and there are very few who do not have it. Its massive diffusion has prompted many to wonder what that acronym means and what USB OTG is for, how you can exploit it.
In the meantime, the acronym: OTG stands for On The Go, literally on the road or on the move. And with a few steps it becomes intuitive to understand what it is: it is a specification of the USB port that allows a smartphone or tablet to do the opposite of what it usually does, namely power and transfer data to an external device. Very often then the USB OTG port is used to transfer files contained in the memory of the smartphone or tablet in a USB stick, to free space or simply to pass them to someone else. At any time then, through the USB OTG port, you can share something with an external device or use an accessory, from here On The Go.
What is the USB OTG port
The USB OTG then, in a nutshell and simplifying at most, works in the same way as the USB-A port of a computer, to which you can connect keyboards, storage media, mice and more. The OTG allows you to do the same with a compatible smartphone or tablet.
Aware of what the USB OTG port is, you may wonder what purpose it can serve. Let’s see it now.
What the USB OTG port is for
First, you can connect a storage medium to it. Usually it’s a USB stick where you can store files, movies, documents, but more often photos and videos that, especially on vacation, end up taking up too much space in the memory and weighing down the smartphone.
You can also connect an external hard drive to the USB OTG (assuming it’s not too powerful for the little energy with which the smartphone can power an external device), but usually it’s more convenient to use a USB stick, especially when you’re out and about.
There are those who use the USB OTG port to connect a mouse, a trackpad or a keyboard to the phone. Few people know that Android can show a pointer on the display of the smartphone or tablet, so in the light of the power of today’s products, the smartphone can sometimes become an excellent substitute for the PC.
It is precisely in this perspective that connecting a keyboard to the USB OTG port can be useful in case you suddenly need to write an important communication, an email, or an articulate thought and you have a keyboard available. The one displayed on the screen is not as comfortable as a “real” keyboard, especially if you have to write for a long time.
Another option is a gamepad. Games for smartphones, even in light of the power achieved, are increasingly articulated and fascinating, so you should not be surprised if one day you feel like taking advantage of USB OTG to connect a joypad. There are several for sale online of smaller than usual size, convenient to carry around, even at low prices.