A variety of "duckheads" from a World Travel Adapter Kit.
A "duckhead" refers to the small removable corner attachment of a power adapter or "brick", so named because of a vague resemblance to the head of a duck. These are used to modify such adapters to be able to physically connect with various types of AC power sockets around the world.[1] Apple offers a variety of such "duckheads" in its World Travel Adapter Kit.[2]
History[]
Removing a "duckhead" from a USB-C Power Adapter.
The Titanium PowerBook G4, 2nd-generation iBook G3 (white), and 1st-generation iPod were introduced in 2001 as the first Apple products to come with power adapters that used "duckheads". The "duckhead" form factor has changed little over the years and is physically interchangeable between power adapters for different products.[3] In January 2016, Apple recalled some "duckhead" adapters and redesigned them to reduce the risk of electrical hazard if broken.[4]
Apple products with a "duckhead"[]
- Apple Battery Charger
- Apple MagSafe Power Adapter
- Apple MagSafe 2 Power Adapter
- Apple USB Power Adapter (10W and above)
- Apple World Travel Adapter Kit
- Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter
- iPod Power Adapter (FireWire)
- iPod USB Power Adapter
- Power Adapter Extension Cable
- USB-C Power Adapter (29W and above)
References[]
- ↑ How is the duck head power adapter used? by Queeniebythesea, Apple Communities. 2015-12-28.
- ↑ About the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit Apple Inc. 2019-11-13.
- ↑ Is it safe to swap the "duckhead" connector from an old power supply to a new MagSafe 2? by Michael L., StackExchange. 2016-02-03.
- ↑ Apple Recalls "Duckhead" Power Adapters for Select Mac Laptops and iPads by Anton Shilov, AnandTech. 2016-10-28.
