Lawrence Finchwrote: "It will charger faster than a computer USB port, but not faster than the 5 W iPhone charger, because the charging circuit in the phone will limit the charging current to 1 amp."
Now THAT information is "just plain wrong".
Perhaps it is just out of date, I don't know - but all the more reason to correct a theoretical statement with empirical observations. If it is wrong, I am trying to set it right (and that's just what you are all doing too, after all).
Look, if somebody searches for an answer on this topic, as they should, they deserve to know that I and others have found that the iPhone can draw a charging current higher than 1A and that, in our opinion, this seems to have damaged the battery life. I don't care how old the thread is if it deals with contemporary issues. Get over it!
Look, I just tested 3 iPhones: a 4 on iOS7, a 4s on iOS7 and a 4s on iOS6
All of them showed around 1.7A charge current with the more powerful charger. Remember, it is just a 5v source - the charging circuitry is inside the iPhone, the current is controlled by the phone. Now, I don't claim that my USB power meter is the best calibrated device in the world, but when you compare that with relative charge currents of around 0.7A with a lower rated USB charger you have to suspect that this 1A limit is simply not being applied by the iPhone charging circuitry.
So, at the very least there are some phones that DO draw higher than 1A.
Maybe they are all in Europe, maybe they were all made in February, maybe you have magic hands and can heal iPhone batteries with one touch, I really don't know and I really don't care. But don't tell me I am plain wrong because I am not. You don't have to take my advice - that's OK. You can refute my testing by saying it's simply impossible and you'd be in very good company. Read Kuhn if you don't know what I'm on about. Being challened is good and healthy. Sticking your head in the sand and singing the company song is not.
And FWIW I don't know a single iPhone 4s owner in the UK who doesn't think the battery life stinks and always did from week1. I know iPhone 5 users with dreadful battery life that Apple refuses to replace in warranty because the battery was "worn" - whatever that means. Does Apple get everything right? Sheesh!