Unfortunately, using identical connectors for incompatible protocols — often hazardously incompatible (to equipment) protocols — is an equally time-tested indus

Unfortunately, using identical connectors for incompatible protocols — often hazardously incompatible (to equipment) protocols — is an equally time-tested industry tradition, and not only in more cost-conscious market segments. High-voltage differential SCSI comes immediately to mind — one might imagine there'd have been enough margin and price inelasticity in the market for $200 cables used to connect rooms full of $20,000+ storage devices to support the development and manufacture of slightly different connectors to prevent damage by connection to then-ubiquitous single-ended SCSI busses, but I suppose the projections for increased sales or reduced maintenance costs (for the vendors) due to redesigning the connector weren't high enough to justify a decision to standardize on different connectors for single-ended and differential SCSI. Similarly, given that USB-C was essentially a fait accompli on the drawing board, short of material risk of injury or death due to misuse of otherwise compliant cables, I'm not convinced any one player in the industry — or any group of players likely to collaborate on something such as this — has both the means and the motive to seriously suggest something better. Why build a better mousetrap when the world can't afford to beat a path away from your door?