Apple has redesigned the removable AC plug on its 70W and 140W USB-C power adapters, and the new pill-shaped fitting does not accept older C7-style duckheads or the previous extension cable. That creates a compatibility problem for travelers who want to reuse Apple’s older plugs or extension cables with the newly revised chargers.
This is not a USB-C change. iPhone 15 and later models still charge with a compliant USB-C cable and power adapter, including USB Power Delivery chargers like the one bundled with a Mac laptop. What changed sits entirely on the wall-plug side of the adapter, not the end that plugs into your device. The people who need to pay attention are buyers of the newly revised 70W and 140W bricks and the matching extension cable, now selling in the U.S. and EU after an earlier rollout in China and Australia.
What is Apple Power Connector 2?
Apple’s new detachable AC plug interface is called “AC Connector 2,” also referred to as “Power Connector 2.” It’s a pill-shaped fitting that replaces the notched design Apple has used for years; Apple now calls that older design “AC Connector 1.”
The connector itself isn’t new this week. It first appeared on adapters sold in China and Australia earlier in 2026, and the EU is only now seeing the same shift, with the old C7-style connector being phased out there too. In a support document, Apple said the pill-shaped design exists to comply with “updated regulations,” though neither Apple’s statement nor the reporting around it names the specific regulation or jurisdiction behind it. Until Apple or a regulator spells that out, treat the stated rationale as a company claim, not a confirmed legal requirement.
Pricing moved along with the hardware. In the EU, the 70W USB-C Power Adapter with Connector 2 now costs €65, and the 140W version costs €119.
Are old Apple duckhead plugs compatible with Power Connector 2?
No. Power Connector 2 works only with Power Connector 2 accessories, so older C7/Power Connector 1 duckheads and the previous extension cable won’t physically attach to the new 70W and 140W adapters.
The two designs are easy to tell apart on sight: Connector 1 has a visibly notched edge where the plug meets the adapter body, while Connector 2 is smooth and pill-shaped. That said, check the product listing before buying rather than relying on appearance alone, since Apple doesn’t always spell out the connector generation in the product title.
MacRumors reported that Apple’s earlier Connector 2 rollout in China and Australia led to customer complaints about older extension cables and World Travel Adapter Kits no longer fitting the revised chargers, and that this week’s release of updated accessories follows those complaints. That history matters for anyone buying today: the fit issue already surfaced for real owners months before Apple shipped matching accessories in the U.S. and EU.
If you own an older-generation 70W or 140W adapter with the notched Connector 1 fitting, you can keep using it with your current duckheads and extension cable. What changes is what you buy next: any new extension cable, travel plug, or replacement adapter has to match the connector generation already on your charger, so a Connector 2 accessory won’t help an older Connector 1 brick and vice versa. The reported change concerns the adapter’s detachable AC side; the cited reporting doesn’t describe any change to USB-C charging for iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Apple Power Connector 1 vs Power Connector 2: which adapters are affected
Apple’s October 28 product updates include three Connector 2 products, all listed on its online store in the U.S. and other markets:
Apple currently identifies its 35W Dual Port and 96W power adapters as AC Connector 1 products, meaning they are not compatible with the new World Travel Adapter Kit. The cited reporting does not establish whether Apple plans to migrate additional models, including its 20W and 30W adapters, to Connector 2.
Like the Connector 1 version, the new extension cable is 1.8 meters long, so the key change is the connector’s compatibility rather than the cable’s reach. Whether that length itself carried over from the previous cable isn’t something the reporting confirms directly, so treat the 1.8-meter figure as the current spec rather than a stated continuation. What is clear: Apple no longer includes this cable with Macs or power adapters, so it’s now a standalone purchase that has to match whichever connector generation your adapter uses.
Does the Apple travel adapter kit support Power Connector 2?
Apple’s World Travel Adapter Kit had disappeared from its online store at some point in 2025, and it’s now back, built entirely around the new connector. It’s priced at $39 in the U.S. and €45 in the EU.
The kit ships with five interchangeable plugs, and all five use the Connector 2 fitting: North America and Japan, continental Europe and Brazil combined, India, the UK/UAE/Saudi Arabia/Singapore group, and Australia/New Zealand. None of them will attach to an older Connector 1 adapter, so the kit only makes sense once you’ve confirmed your charger is already the revised version.
The previous kit included dedicated plugs labeled for South Korea, Brazil, and mainland China. The new kit has no separately labeled South Korea or mainland China plug, while Brazil is grouped with continental Europe under Type C. Travelers should check the outlet types available at their destination before assuming the included plugs will or won’t fit.
What to do now
Check the connector shape on whatever adapter you already own before buying anything new: a notched fitting means Connector 1, and your existing duckheads and old travel kit still work with it. A smooth, pill-shaped fitting means Connector 2, which requires the matching accessories Apple just released.
If you’re buying a new 70W or 140W adapter, don’t assume an old extension cable or duckhead from a drawer will fit; confirm the connector generation on the product listing first. If South Korea or mainland China is on your itinerary, check the outlet types at your destination against the five plugs included in Apple’s kit and pack an appropriate additional adapter if needed.