iPhone 8 Plus
The iPhone 8 – don’t call it the 7S! – looks almost exactly like the iPhone 7. It feels almost exactly like the iPhone 7. And it works and costs almost exactly what the iPhone 7 did. But it’s what you can’t see that really counts.
The iPhone 8 Plus is going to be the far more palatable choice for those looking to spend a 'normal' amount on a larger-screened device. Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 8 Plus price will start at $799 for the 64GB version, while the 256GB variant will cost $949 .
In terms of the iPhone 8 Plus release date, we're looking at it being available for pre-order from September 15 around the world, with an actual on-shelf date of September 22.
It's true: Apple kept the same core design here, from the front of the phone to the aluminum frame. But what's this on the back? It's glass! Beautiful, reflective glass, returning to the iPhone for the first time since the iPhone 4s.
It looks great, whether you opt for Silver, Space Gray, or Gold, and it adds just a hair of thickness to the phone in the process – but hopefully not enough to ruin any accessories you might carry over. Going for glass brings another big perk (keep reading!), but otherwise, it's the one big visual switch here to Apple's three-year-old design.
That’s not the only difference in the screen department though, because the iPhone 8 Plus also packs in more pixels. Both are termed ‘Retina HD’ displays by Apple, but the Plus’ 1920x1080-pixel resolution has a density of 401ppi, while the iPhone 8’s 1334x750-pixel resolution has a density of 326ppi.
In truth it’s unlikely you’ll be able to see a clear difference between the clarity of these displays, but there is a difference.
By comparison, the iPhone 8 Plus doesn't have a huge camera addition, and it doesn't have the cool True Depth front-facing camera system from the iPhone X. But it does offer refinements on last year's theme, making it very much like an "iPhone 7s Plus" in that respect.
Only one of the 12-megapixel back cameras, the main wide angle f/1.8 sensor, has optical image stabilisation – like the iPhone 7 Plus had last year. The Portrait mode gains a new Portrait Lighting feature, though, which lets you play with faux lighting conditions to really amplify and embellish those special shots.
Apple says the sensors are also faster and larger, while the Portrait mode should work even better than before. But really, these seem like pretty modest tweaks overall.
The iPhone 8 Plus will also support wireless charging, which makes it the first Apple phone to do so. It supports Qi wireless charging, which is the leading open wireless charging standard.
That means lots of restaurant chains and car manufacturers already support this tech, so Apple's new phone will work with most wireless charging pads. It'll also work with third-party chargers from brands like Mophie, Ikea and Belkin.
Apple hasn't confirmed the size of the battery used in the iPhone 8 Plus, but we do know there will be fast charging. You'll still be able to charge the phone with a Lightning cable that plugs into the bottom of the phone.
The addition of wireless charging is one of a few key new “at last!” features Apple has brought to the iPhone 8 that’s useful enough to make anyone consider upgrading. Wireless charging is fabulous when it works. The Qi protocol has one limitation, however: It doesn’t transmit effectively through thicker cases (and you ARE using a case , right?). We didn’t get a chance to try Apple’s new charging mat, which purports to juice up several different devices at different speeds simultaneously, but we look forward to testing this out.
With the A10 Fusion chip and a strong 3GB RAM, the iPhone 7 Plus proved to be an iOS powerhouse of a phone, capably handling all kinds of apps, media, and multitasking needs with ease. And now Apple has pushed the technology even further with the iPhone 8 Plus.
It packs the new A11 Bionic chip, which has four efficiency cores that deliver up to 70% faster speeds, along with a pair of performance cores that at 30% improved. Along with a faster GPU and still 3GB RAM, it should provide incredible speed and hopefully only rare hints of slowdown. Early benchmark tests suggest it's a monster, even beating a recent MacBook Pro.
Will we see that speed boost in everyday performance? We can't say for sure yet. We'll know soon when we can compare the two phones together, but our hunch is that any advantage here will be minor at best. The iPhone 7 Plus was already super speedy and capable.
There were myriad games that made use of the table in front of us as a plane to work on (although the first demo, The Machines, took a while to work out what it was looking at) and they all had a good AR title to show off.
There was an educational option to look at, which allowed you to see the human heart in expanded view – it was really interesting and a novel way of teaching, using the phone screen as a portal.
iOS 11 is set to launch on September 19 this year, meaning that both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will ship with Apple’s latest software.
So what’s new? Well there are plenty of upgrades coming with iOS 11, including an update to Messages. In iOS 11, there will be a bigger focus on apps and stickers, featuring a redesigned app picker. There’s also cloud syncing so your messages carry (or delete) across from an old phone to a new phone.
Siri is getting a new voice that makes her much more lifelike too. It’s a clear bid to tackle growing competition from rivals like Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. She’ll also be able to translate your voice and speak out the response.
Other changes include updates to the the camera and photos, a redesigned control centre, and modifications to Maps, Apple Music, and the App Store.
The iPhone 7 Plus gave us compelling reasons to upgrade from the iPhone 6s Plus. However, the iPhone 8 Plus hasn't done quite the same for those of us toting the iPhone 7 Plus.
All New Glass and Aluminium DesignEarlier this week Apple announced an update to its iPhone 7 line in the form of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. We explain the differences so you can know the best.
The iPhone 8 – don’t call it the 7S! – looks almost exactly like the iPhone 7. It feels almost exactly like the iPhone 7. And it works and costs almost exactly what the iPhone 7 did. But it’s what you can’t see that really counts.
In terms of the iPhone 8 Plus release date, we're looking at it being available for pre-order from September 15 around the world, with an actual on-shelf date of September 22.
iPhone 8 Plus Design
If you catch a glance of the iPhone 8 Plus from the front, you might think you're looking at your own iPhone 7 Plus. Or the iPhone 6s Plus. Or even the iPhone 6 Plus.
It's true: Apple kept the same core design here, from the front of the phone to the aluminum frame. But what's this on the back? It's glass! Beautiful, reflective glass, returning to the iPhone for the first time since the iPhone 4s.
iPhone 8 Plus Display
The iPhone 8 Plus is bigger than the iPhone 8 which allows for a larger display. The iPhone 8 has a 4.7in screen (measured across the diagonal), while the Plus is 5.5in.
That’s not the only difference in the screen department though, because the iPhone 8 Plus also packs in more pixels. Both are termed ‘Retina HD’ displays by Apple, but the Plus’ 1920x1080-pixel resolution has a density of 401ppi, while the iPhone 8’s 1334x750-pixel resolution has a density of 326ppi.
In truth it’s unlikely you’ll be able to see a clear difference between the clarity of these displays, but there is a difference.
iPhone 8 Plus Camera
The iPhone 7 Plus packed big camera enhancements, as previously mentioned, with the second camera added to the back to enable optical image zooming without shedding detail, as well the cool Portrait mode for DSLR-like blurred backdrop shots.
By comparison, the iPhone 8 Plus doesn't have a huge camera addition, and it doesn't have the cool True Depth front-facing camera system from the iPhone X. But it does offer refinements on last year's theme, making it very much like an "iPhone 7s Plus" in that respect.
Apple says the sensors are also faster and larger, while the Portrait mode should work even better than before. But really, these seem like pretty modest tweaks overall.
iPhone 8 Plus Battery
That means lots of restaurant chains and car manufacturers already support this tech, so Apple's new phone will work with most wireless charging pads. It'll also work with third-party chargers from brands like Mophie, Ikea and Belkin.
Apple hasn't confirmed the size of the battery used in the iPhone 8 Plus, but we do know there will be fast charging. You'll still be able to charge the phone with a Lightning cable that plugs into the bottom of the phone.
iPhone 8 Plus WirelessCharging
iPhone 8 Plus Performance/Specs
It packs the new A11 Bionic chip, which has four efficiency cores that deliver up to 70% faster speeds, along with a pair of performance cores that at 30% improved. Along with a faster GPU and still 3GB RAM, it should provide incredible speed and hopefully only rare hints of slowdown. Early benchmark tests suggest it's a monster, even beating a recent MacBook Pro.
iPhone 8 Plus Augmented reality
We don't think that augmented reality (AR) really has a place just yet in the smartphone as a critical feature, but what we saw on the iPhone 8 Plus was decent.
There were myriad games that made use of the table in front of us as a plane to work on (although the first demo, The Machines, took a while to work out what it was looking at) and they all had a good AR title to show off.
There was an educational option to look at, which allowed you to see the human heart in expanded view – it was really interesting and a novel way of teaching, using the phone screen as a portal.
iPhone 8 Plus OS
Way back at its annual WWDC conference in June, Apple showcased the latest version of its mobile and tablet operating system: iOS 11.
iOS 11 is set to launch on September 19 this year, meaning that both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will ship with Apple’s latest software.
So what’s new? Well there are plenty of upgrades coming with iOS 11, including an update to Messages. In iOS 11, there will be a bigger focus on apps and stickers, featuring a redesigned app picker. There’s also cloud syncing so your messages carry (or delete) across from an old phone to a new phone.
Siri is getting a new voice that makes her much more lifelike too. It’s a clear bid to tackle growing competition from rivals like Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant. She’ll also be able to translate your voice and speak out the response.
Verdict
This one really does come down to a personal decision over whether you want a small or large phone. If you can stretch to the extra £100 the iPhone 8 Plus is technically the better of the two, with a larger, higher-resolution screen, dual-cameras and longer battery life. But if you'd rather a more compact device then the iPhone 8 also offers better value.
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