system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How are successive generations of data standards (USB, HDMI etc.) able to pack more features (data speed, quality etc.) into the same form factor ?

For example, HDMI generations appear to have the same connector, yet the new generation has more features than the older one.
gpt
They key is almost always that they become more able to put the same amount of data in a smaller physical space, either die to precision in reading or writing mechanisms.

Imagine taking a 1st grader and having them write out a whole page about their day. Their writing will be rather large, so the amount of information they put in there will be limited. Ask someone in college to do the same task and they will be able to write cleaner and more precisely, allowing them to actually put more information on the page.

The same is true with most evolving standards. They can either write or read more precisely (or both), allowing them to do things like send signals in shorter pulses, which allows for more data over the same time.