The "Explore Connectivity" modal window you can open in the "Gigablast
your gigabits" (meh) section, as I quoted in my original post, has this block of text:
USB‑Convenient.
Now you can connect USB‑C gear like thumb drives, fast external storage, 4K displays, and microphones. And you can charge Apple Watch or AirPods from your iPhone.9
I must have landed on the wrong side of an AB test because that text doesn't show up for me on the "Explore Connectivity" modal window. I checked with both Chrome/Windows and iOS.
Anyway I really hope that text refers to DP alt mode, not displaylink. Any USB port works with displaylink chips as long as the OS has the driver
USB‑Convenient.
Now you can connect USB‑C gear like thumb drives, fast external storage, 4K displays, and microphones. And you can charge Apple Watch or AirPods from your iPhone.9