IPhone 8

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are smartphones developed and marketed by Apple . They represent the eleventh generation of the iPhone lineup, with the iPhone 8 making its debut on September 22, 2017. This release saw it succeed the well-established iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus , respectively, marking a significant step forward in Apple’s mobile technology offerings.

Design and Evolution:

The visual architecture of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus maintained a strong lineage from their immediate predecessors, the iPhone 7 series. However, a key differentiator was the introduction of a glass back panel. This seemingly minor alteration was, in fact, a crucial enabler for a significant new feature: inductive charging . Beyond this functional enhancement, the models distinguished themselves by discontinuing certain color options, notably the rose gold and jet black variants, while introducing subtle refinements. Internally, they shared a considerable amount of hardware architecture with the then-forthcoming iPhone X , a testament to Apple’s simultaneous development strategies.

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were the final flagship iPhone models to incorporate the iconic home button and Touch ID sensor. This marked the end of an era for a design element that had been a hallmark of the iPhone since its inception. While the external design remained largely familiar, the internal components received a substantial upgrade, including a more potent processor and enhanced camera and display capabilities.

Market Presence and Discontinuation:

These devices were eventually discontinued by Apple in February 2020. Prior to their discontinuation, they had achieved remarkable sales figures, with over 86.3 million units sold globally. This made them some of the best-selling smartphones ever recorded, a testament to their appeal and the enduring strength of the iPhone brand.

Initially launched with iOS 11 , the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus demonstrated considerable longevity, supporting subsequent operating system versions up to iOS 16 . However, they were deemed incompatible with iOS 17 due to hardware limitations, a common lifecycle endpoint for mobile devices. Despite this, Apple continued to provide security updates for these models until September 15, 2025, ensuring ongoing protection for users.

Interestingly, the design and physical dimensions of the iPhone 8 were carried forward into the second and third generations of the more budget-friendly iPhone SE line. These later models retained the familiar exterior and the Touch ID functionality, while incorporating significantly upgraded internal hardware, effectively offering a modern performance package within a classic chassis.

History and Release:

The official unveiling of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus occurred on September 12, 2017, during a special media event hosted at the prestigious Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s Apple Park campus. The devices were made available to the public shortly thereafter, on September 22, 2017.

In a move that supported a charitable cause, Apple introduced a distinct red color variant for the iPhone 8 on April 9, 2018. This special edition, featuring a black front bezel, was part of Apple’s partnership with Product Red and its ongoing campaign to combat AIDS .

Demonstrating Apple’s commitment to its product lifecycle, refurbished iPhone 8 models began to be offered for sale in November 2018, starting at a price point of $499. This price was subsequently reduced to US$ 319. Similarly, refurbished iPhone 8 Plus models were introduced at $599, later reduced to $469 and then $359.

The official discontinuation of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus was marked by Apple’s announcement of the second-generation iPhone SE on April 15, 2020. While sharing the same external dimensions and Touch ID, the SE boasted an upgraded A13 Bionic processor. This trend continued with the third-generation iPhone SE announced on March 8, 2022, which also maintained the iPhone 8’s exterior but featured an enhanced camera system and Apple’s A15 processor.

Specifications:

Hardware:

The manufacturing of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus was entrusted to contract partners Foxconn , Pegatron , and Wintron, ensuring large-scale production capabilities.

Display:

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus continued to feature the acclaimed Retina HD Display, a technology refined from the iPhone 7 models. A notable enhancement was the incorporation of True Tone technology. This feature dynamically adjusted the screen’s white balance to match the ambient lighting conditions, providing a more natural and comfortable viewing experience. Despite not being explicitly designed as HDR displays, these models were capable of playing HDR10 and Dolby Vision content. This was achieved through intelligent down-conversion, which still managed to deliver improvements in dynamic range, contrast, and color depth compared to standard content.

Camera:

Both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were equipped with a 12-megapixel rear camera. This sensor featured autofocus , a wide f/1.8 aperture , and optical image stabilization . The camera system was capable of capturing video in stunning 4K resolution at frame rates of 24, 30, or 60 frames per second . For high-frame-rate recording, it supported 1080p video at 30, 60, 120, or 240 frames per second. A significant upgrade was the Quad LED True Tone Flash with Slow Sync, a feature that improved illumination consistency in low-light conditions. The inclusion of 4K 60fps and 1080p 240 fps recording options represented a notable advancement over the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

The iPhone 8 Plus, mirroring its predecessor, included a secondary telephoto lens, enabling 2x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom, with an f/2.8 aperture . A groundbreaking addition for the iPhone 8 Plus was the Portrait Lighting feature, which utilized the enhanced image signal processor within the A11 SoC to simulate various studio lighting effects, offering a new level of creative control for portrait photography. This feature was initially released in beta .

The front-facing camera on both models was a 7-megapixel sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. It was capable of recording 1080p video at 30 frames per second and 720p video at 24 frames per second. It also included features such as face detection , high-dynamic range (auto-HDR), and auto image stabilization, along with a Retina flash for improved selfies in low light.

A peculiar detail noted in reviews was that both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus recorded videos with single channel audio (mono) . This was a point of criticism, especially when compared to competing devices that had offered stereo audio recording for videos for several years. Despite this, the devices allowed for the capture of 6.5-megapixel still photos (3412×1920 resolution) during active video recording.

Chipset:

At the heart of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus lay the formidable Apple A11 Bionic system-on-chip . This hexa-core processor was engineered for remarkable performance. Apple claimed that its two performance cores were 25% faster than those in the A10 processor found in the iPhone 7. Furthermore, its four efficiency cores offered a 70% improvement in speed compared to their predecessors. The graphical capabilities were also significantly boosted, with an Apple-designed graphics processing unit that was reportedly 30% faster, while maintaining the same level of performance as the A10 at half the power consumption.

Other Features:

The adoption of a glass back was not merely aesthetic; it was a functional necessity for enabling Qi inductive charging , allowing users to power up their devices wirelessly. The phones also boasted an IP67 rating, signifying robust resistance to both water and dust ingress.

Storage options were generous, with models available in 64, 128, and 256 gigabytes of NVMe flash storage. The color palette included elegant finishes of silver, gold, and Space Gray. The silver and gold variants were notable for being the last iPhone models to feature a white front bezel. As mentioned earlier, a striking Product Red special edition, distinguished by its red back and black front, was introduced on April 9, 2018.

Beyond wireless charging, the iPhone 8 supported traditional wired charging via Apple’s proprietary Lightning connector . For users seeking faster wired charging, the devices were compatible with USB Power Delivery standards when paired with a suitable USB-C to Lightning cable.

In terms of repairability, the iPhone 8 received a score of 6 out of 10 from iFixit . The primary challenge identified was the extensive use of adhesive for securing the back glass, making repairs more intricate.

Software:

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus launched with iOS 11 pre-installed. They demonstrated remarkable software support throughout their lifecycle, being fully compatible with iOS 12 , iOS 13 , iOS 14 , iOS 15 , and iOS 16 . As previously noted, hardware limitations precluded support for iOS 17 . However, security updates continued to be provided until September 15, 2025.

Reception:

The critical reception of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus was largely positive, though often tempered by comparisons to the simultaneously released iPhone X and the aging design. Reviewers lauded the introduction of inductive charging and the enhanced fast-charging capabilities, alongside the powerful new Apple A11 processor. However, the design, which had been consistent since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, drew considerable criticism for appearing dated.

Samuel Axon of Ars Technica described the A11 processor as a “marvelous feat of engineering,” citing its “industry-leading performance.” He also commended the cameras for their excellent color reproduction and “very good” low-light performance for a smartphone.

Chris Velazco of Engadget echoed the praise for the A11’s speed and the devices’ build quality, calling the camera “excellent.” His critiques, however, focused on the design’s lack of novelty and what he perceived as limited water resistance compared to competitors.

John McCann of TechRadar appreciated the feel of the glass back, even while acknowledging the overall design’s familiarity. He also highlighted inductive charging as a “useful” addition.

David Pierce of Wired characterized the iPhone 8 models as “virtually perfect phones” but noted they were overshadowed by the iPhone X. He praised their performance, cameras, and displays but consistently pointed out the “outdated” design.

Nilay Patel of The Verge positioned the iPhone 8 as the “default option,” acknowledging that it was often overlooked in favor of the iPhone X. He appreciated its comfortable form factor, the True Tone display, and improved speakers. However, he noted issues with the speed of inductive charging and the premium price of the 256 GB iPhone 8 Plus, which neared the cost of the iPhone X. Patel was particularly critical of the thick bezels, which stood in stark contrast to the increasingly bezel-less designs of other 2017 smartphones.

Durability was another area of concern. Drop tests indicated that the rear glass, despite Apple’s claims, was not as robust as advertised, leading to breakage.

Despite these critiques, the camera performance received significant acclaim. The independent camera testing firm DxOMark awarded the iPhone 8 a score of 92 and the iPhone 8 Plus a score of 94, designating them as the best smartphone cameras they had tested at the time. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 later matched the iPhone 8 Plus’s score of 94, while the Google Pixel 2 eventually surpassed them with a score of 98.

However, the video recording capabilities faced criticism from GSMArena. While being among the first phones to record 2160p at 60 frames per second, the mono audio recording was deemed a significant drawback when compared to the stereo capabilities available on competing devices as early as 2012, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Sony Xperia S .

Issues:

On August 31, 2018, Apple disclosed a manufacturing defect affecting a “very small percentage” of iPhone 8 devices produced between September 2017 and March 2018. This issue, related to the logic board, primarily impacted models sold in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and the United States. Symptoms of a defective device included unexpected reboots, a frozen or unresponsive screen, or a complete failure to power on. Apple established a free replacement program for affected devices, identified by their serial numbers. It was specifically noted that this logic board issue did not affect the iPhone 8 Plus.