It's not an Apple charger. It's a standard USB port. The standard does not specify pumping out the power required to charge mobile devices.

Go buy a $10 12V -> USB charger adapter and use that and it will rapid charge.

I have one with 2 USB jacks, both of which can supply enough power to rapid charge an iPad.

The 12V jack is right next to the USB port.. kind of hard to miss.

 

I saw that -- I just couldn't believe the USB didn't charge... Every other car does.

 

Apple hasn't played nice with normal usb chargers for quite some time.
They need more than just + 5V and ground for charging.
The device reads off the data lines D+ and D-.
If the charging circuit doesn't match what it wants it will reject the charger.

You can read about how many different iterations they have gone through here.
Ignoring the mintyboost part and looking at what components needed to be implemented on the data lines.
Its a good resource for those that like to tinker.
MintyBoost - The mysteries of Apple device charging

 

I had a problem charging and syncing my first iPhone from my PC and some other USB chargers that I had. Then I found a little device from BoxWave that solved the problem. Maybe it would work here too.

iPhone Charging Adapter

 

The jack charges my Motorola Citrus.

Is the amperage for an iPhone higher?

 

Yep.

I think the real question here for the OP is... why didn't you get a Droid?

iPhones are picky about how they are charged. My Droid I can plug into just about any power source and it will happily charge.

 

Charges my 4s just fine...do you have a 5?

 

Mine is a 4s as well. I will monkey with the settings like the fella above mentioned and see what happens.

Get a Droid? Nooooo Waaaaa:gasp:

 

It's not a problem with the plug, it will charge an iphone (at least my 4s) The problem is with something else, i think it's a software issue. The iphone can't "talk" with the car using both the blue tooth and the usb at the same time. I can stream audio and make and receive phone calls using blue tooth. I can turn off bluetooth, plug in the phone into the usb jack and stream audio and charge.

I can not connect with blue tooth (so the phone is available for hands free), and plug into the usb port to stream audio/charge. Just doesn't work. I think it's a communication issue where bluetooth trumps everything else if it's on. So i don't think there are any issues with the power available for charging or stuff like that.

I do know my manual mentioned there wasn't enough juice to charge an iPad, but that charger provides 2x the amps of a standard iphone charger.

 

It charges my 4S, but won't talk to it. It streams but I have to use the iPhone instead of the interface to select songs, albums, etc., just like you would via the aux input. Haven't noticed whether its affected by Bluetooth or not. howver, it doesn't seem to charge as fast as using the cigarette lighter / adapter plug.

 

My 4 charges as well but you have to have it in USB mode or it won't go. I can leave BT for phone but if you're streaming music it won't charge. It plays music just fine through USB so when I need to charge it I just let it play using USB. My OB is a 2012.

 

Here is what I am using

It provides 2.1 amps to both ports. Works great for fast charging my iPhone or charging my iPad.

While ideally it would be nice if the USB port provided did everything, in any case it's not going to provide very quick charging at just .5a. Plus you can charge 2 items at once.

 

Here is what I am using

Amazon.com: SCOSCHE usbc202m VOLT c2 - Dual 10 Watt (2.1A) USB Car Charger - Car Charger - Retail Packaging - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories


It provides 2.1 amps to both ports. Works great for fast charging my iPhone or charging my iPad.

While ideally it would be nice if the USB port provided did everything, in any case it's not going to provide very quick charging at just .5a. Plus you can charge 2 items at once.

ahhhh all my looking on Amazon last weekend and didnt see that. Oh well - I already ordered one.

Does anyone know if the ipad mini uses the ipad power requirements (2.1a) or the iphone requirement. I know the connector is different - though maybe all the new stuff is 2.1a - the iphone 5? I have an iphone 4S but my girl has an ipad mini.

 

I have an iPhone 5 and it came with the normal square Apple charger. So I can only assume it uses the normal iPhone voltage. But it will recognize a higher wattage (iPad) charger and definitely charges faster with it.

 

Never an issue charging my iPhone 4s.

 

2012 limited and iPhone 5

Plugged into the center consol under the armrest and works fine for me.

 

Mine mostly charges and plays just fine. Sometimes (haven't figured out the cause yet) something that I do will make the car drop it's connection with the usb connected iphone. Turning off the ignition and re-starting fixes this...I think maybe selecting BT and back to usb might fix it too, i'll try that next time...it's kinda hard to do too much when you're going 65 and it happens.

 

It appears

If I turn off the Bluetooth it charges (as noted by someone above). That doesn't make sense -but it works.

So, this is day 4 of having my OB -- Love this vehicle.

 

I don't what the deal is with the USB port in the '13s because my '12 charges my iPhone4 just fine through USB. My phone is always connected via bluetooth for calls but I play music through the USB/dock connector.

 

iphone 5s usb recharging

I just got my iphone 5s to charge using the USB jack in the center console on my 2013 Outback. I have the basic audio package on the car. As noted by others I had to plug the phone and my Apple lightning cable into the USB jack and then push the CD/AUX button on the Outback head unit and the charging function worked fine. It continued to charge after I switched over to other sources such as FM radio on the head unit.

 

It charges my IPhone 5. I have a 2013, Premium.

 

Amazon USB-to-Lightning cable is plugged into the center console USB port of my 2014 Limited ... and charges my iPhone 5 just fine. No issues.

 

I've never had any issues charging and/or playing music from my 4S since day one using the USB.

Limited w/HK non-nav system.

 

No problems charging any iPhone 4 through current with my 2013 Ltd. from day one or now with the Aha radio upgrade.

I do choose the "iPod" mode in car and the dock connecter via phone. That's been perfect functionality, great sound etc...

 

I use the USB in the center console and my iphone 5 and ipad mini charge just fine all the time....2014 OB

 

My iPhone 4s charges just fine with the USB. Never an issue.

 

I can confirm the 2014 charges an iphone5 and an iphone5s just fine. Slight annoyance as the radio flips over to iPod mode automatically, but phone continues to charge after setting the radio back to something else.

 

Buy a real phone, problem solved!:17:

 

Just got frustrated until I read this post and saw others had the same issue. It seems I can not charge with the Car's USB - but I was hooked up to Bluetooth at the same time.

I will try taking it off blue tooth out of curiosity. BUT - I do have one of those UPS chargers that goes into the lighter plug right next to it. I think I am just going to use that so I can continue to use my bluetooth at the same time.

FLAGG