Which standard significantly increased data transfer rates to 480 megabits per second?

The correct answer is USB 2.0, which was a significant advancement in data transfer technology. Introduced in April 2000, USB 2.0, also known as Hi-Speed USB, provided a maximum data transfer rate of 480 megabits per second, a substantial improvement over its predecessor, USB 1.1, which had a maximum rate of just 12 megabits per second. This increase in speed enabled faster file transfers and improved performance for a variety of peripherals, including external hard drives, printers, and cameras.

The other options do not pertain to the same context of data transfer speeds via USB technology. BluRay, while offering high data transfer rates for video and storage media, operates on a different standard primarily related to optical disc technology. Bluetooth 5.0 is a wireless technology that allows short-range communication but operates at different transfer rates and over different use cases. Wi-Fi 802.11b is a wireless networking standard with maximum data transfer rates up to 11 megabits per second, which is far below the rates offered by USB 2.0.