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A few of the key features associated with USB Type-C cables and connectors are as follows:

The connector is non-polarized -- it plugs in either way -- no longer do we have to dork around trying to determine "Which side goes up?"

The connecter is small enough that the same connector can be used everywhere -- on workstations, tablet computers, MP3 players, smartphones, digital cameras, etc.

Unlike the vast majority of other USB cables, Type-C cables have the same male connector on both ends -- it's up to the things they are plugged into to "negotiate" with each other to determine who is in charge of doing what.

The specification supports data bandwidths up to 20 Gbps and facilitates alternate, non-USB, vendor-defined modes (you'll need the right type of cable to support these higher bandwidths and advanced modes as discussed below).

The specification supports power delivery of up to 100W for faster charging (you'll need the right type of cable to support the more advanced power delivery modes and higher power levels as discussed below).

In the case of the simpler power delivery and data transmission modes, passive (unintelligent) cables may be used. When it comes to the more advanced modes, intelligent cables will be required, where such cables contain an electronic ID that can inform the other elements in the system as to that cable's power capacity and the data bandwidths it can handle.

Initially, the DFP will supply 5V to the Vbus pins (i.e., the same as USB 2.0 and USB 3.x). USB 2.0 can supply at most 500mA per port, while USB 3.x boosted this up to 900mA per port. USB Type-C can support up to 100W per port (20V at 5A). The actual voltage and power that can be supplied by the DFP (or UFP), conducted by the cable, and accepted by the UFP (or DFP) is determined by the DFP and UFP, which negotiate to agree on the power delivery (PD) scheme; i.e., who is going to supply the power, who is going to receive the power, what voltage is to be used, and how much current will be made available.

The end result is that -- depending on its capabilities -- sometimes a device may transmit both power and data; sometimes it may receive both power and data; sometimes it may transmit one and receive the other; and sometimes it may dynamically switch between all of the different possibilities. Once again, this is all subject to negotiation between the various devices.