Does it harm iPh4 connecting with iPad charger?

[Habakuk]

A friend of mine has both on her desk and mixed up the cables. Both iDevice's (iPhone 4, iPad) USB connector plugs (the large ones) look identically. (The old iPhone 3G's small USB plug is a bit rounder by the way.)

She realized that iPhone 4 is connected with iPad charger after some seconds—iPhone's behavior was normal as if connected with the correct charger—and disconnected immediately. Then she connected iPhone with it's original charger and still normal behavior. So it seems that it was not harmful for the phone.

Since the iPad's charger has more power the question is:

Can my friend connect the iPhone 4 (and maybe the old iPhone 3G) with the "wrong" charger without hesitation as often and as long as she wants? Could it be harmful to the charger?

What do you think? Maybe I'll call Apple Support but I don't want to give them any hint that it could have happened to me… uhm …my friend, in any case of guarantee.

Thanks for reading and thanks for any hints in advance.

 

[Intell]

There is nothing wrong with using an iPad charger with an iPod or iPhone. They are all USB compliant chargers and will only supply what the device needs, not the most it can supply.

 

[xtend]

no - thats what i do, too.

1 Charger for all iDevices!

 

[starbot]

As an engineer, i'd have to say that i do not think this would harm the iphone in anyway. The current is governed by the energy sink, not the source. Additionally, I would think an iphone charger could charge an ipad, though at a slower rate of 5watts (1amp vs. 10watts/2amps).

 

[Habakuk]

There is nothing wrong with using an iPad charger with an iPod or iPhone. They are all USB compliant chargers and will only supply what the device needs, not the most it can supply.

Thank you. I was a bit worried because I know that (vice versa) the iPad won't charge correctly (=very slow) with an iPhone's (3G, maybe even 4) charger. But as far as I know it doesn't harm neither the iPad nor the iPhone's charger.

Okay that has nothing to do with connecting an iPhone 4 with an iPad's charger.

 

[dialed1]

If I remember right the first iPhone came with the same charger as iPad.

 

[Intell]

If I remember right the first iPhone came with the same charger as iPad.

They had the same shape, but not the same power output. The iPad's charger is Apple's only high power USB charger to date.

 

[Irish Rose]

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As others have said, you can do this, and it won't harm your phone.

 

[dialed1]

They had the same shape, but not the same power output. The iPad's charger is Apple's only high power USB charger to date.

Oh okay cool good to know. Thanks for posting OP now I don't have to wonder as well

 

[Habakuk]

As an engineer, i'd have to say that i do not think this would harm the iphone in anyway. The current is governed by the energy sink, not the source. Additionally, I would think an iphone charger could charge an ipad, though at a slower rate of 5watts (1amp vs. 10watts/2amps).

Thank you for the clarification, starbot.

I think I'll try to use the correct charger but will stop worrying if somebody mixes them up. The shipped USB cables are completely the same (iPhone 4, iPad, iPhone 3G's small USB connector just being a bit rounder), the chargers themselves are all different (iPhone 3G and iPad looking identically but different power, iPhone 4 much smaller without changeable AC plug).

Thanks again!