TI today announced they will demo IEEE 1394b capable devices at an INTEL trade show. What’s significant about this is that the infrastructure to support Firewire 2 (IEEE 1394b) is mostly in place. The new standard will allow Firewire protocol to be transmissable over fiber and lower quality copper lines, thus broadening Firewire’s coverage, and the new standard in backwards compadible with the current Firewire standard.

Still, USB 2.0 is ramping up too. At first glance, these two standards appear to be competing. Both claim high speed buses, hot and hot swappable connectivity, and distances of about 300 feet. The biggest difference, however, is that USB 2.0 offers 480mbps while Firewire 2 gives a whopping 1.6Gbps with a potential of hitting3.2Gbps. ( http://www.everythingusb.com/usb2/faqa.htm#A1 )( http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2001/0525ieee.html )
So, basically the same reasoning that exists today for having both on your Mac will exist when these two standards become widely available.

The question is, does it make sense to include both standards? Would it be prudent just to offer a box that has 3 bus types (internal bus, networking bus, and Firewire or USB) or continue to offer 4 buses? If you had to pick, which would it be? Which do you think peripheral makers will back? (That’s the key, I think.)

Apple should hold off on usb2.0 for at least a year.
The added cost will not be worth it. There aren’t really many peripherals that use it (yet?)
Firewire is more than adequate for the same jobs that usb2 will do and is already entrenched in the electronics industry. (Even Sony and MS like it.)
This doesn’t even mention the jump to 800mb that should come soon.

USB2.0 is an idea whose time has already passed. It simply doesn’t enough to offer over firewire to make manufacturers choose it.
-Dan

I think both standards have a place.  USB is great for keyboards, mice, and other lower speed and sonsumer based items.  On the other hand, scanners for mid level to pro level will either be SCSI or firewire. 

I use my Firewire for my Video camera and Digitalizer.  I use the USB for everything else.  You just don’t need 1.2 Gbps for a printer or mouse.

Chuck Haislip