Review of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: design, colors, specifications, prices, start of sales in Russia

Perhaps the release of the iPhone 8 / 8 Plus has become the most controversial in the Smartphone category this year. On the one hand, its fate as a supporting actor (if not an extra) was predetermined long before the announcement, on the other hand, it is still a high-level device that not every competitor can compete with.

During the presentation of the iPhone 8, spectators in the theater named after. Steve Jobs didn’t even try to show serious interest in the smartphone, only a few times bursts of thin applause interrupted Phil Schiller’s report, and the vice president of marketing himself didn’t really try to evoke emotions in the public, knowing full well that everyone was waiting for “one more thing.”

However, if we ignore the iPhone 7 and iPhone X, the G8 does not look dull at all and will certainly become a very popular smartphone after the previous models are discontinued. The iPhone 8 probably occupy a niche between the budget iPhone SE and the top-end iPhone X, and in this situation, the functionality of the gadget looks quite decent.

ON THE TOPIC: iPhone X review: design, colors, characteristics, prices, start of sales in Russia.

Design

Judging by what we've seen over the past 10-15 years, Jonathan Ive's favorite materials are aluminum and glass, but in the new iPhones, Apple's chief designer had to significantly reduce the presence of the former in favor of the latter. Surely, experienced users of Apple smartphones were pleased with this decision - the iPhone 4/4S form factor with two glass panels and a metal frame between them is still considered by many to be the most successful in the iPhone line.

The color palette of the iPhone 8 has narrowed compared to previous models, with only three colors to choose from: silver, space gray and gold.

iPhone 8 colors

iPhone 8 Plus colors

ON THE TOPIC: iPhone X (iPhone 10, ten, ha or x) - how to pronounce the name correctly?

How many SIM cards does iPhone support?

The answer to the question of how many SIM cards are in the iPhone 5S is obvious; until 2022, Apple did not have devices that could simultaneously work with two SIM cards. Before the release of the long-awaited “Seven,” users wondered how many SIM cards were in the iPhone 7. Other manufacturers had long made smartphones with two and three SIM cards, but Apple stubbornly resisted the trend. Another 3 years passed before engineers risked adding an additional slot to the gadget. The first iPhones with two SIM cards were the iPhone XS and XS max.

Are iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus waterproof?

The time-tested design idea of ​​the iPhone 4 is implemented using more modern technologies and materials - tempered impact-resistant glass and aluminum alloy, the composition of which was borrowed from NASA engineers, should ensure durability and protect the iPhone from mechanical damage, splashes and dust (protection according to the IP-67 standard, like the iPhone 7), and also allow wireless charging electromagnetic field pulses to reach the battery unimpeded.

Again, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are not waterproof, but only provide splash protection (details).

What SIM card do you need for iPhone?

With an easy push from Apple, SIM cards of 3 different formations came into use at once. We will help you figure out which SIM is installed in an iPhone or iPad of a particular generation.

Despite the fact that the release of the iPhone 8 is just around the corner, Russians continue to willingly use Apple smartphones of the 4th and even 3rd modifications. The prices of these devices, due to their obsolescence, have dropped significantly - now even an unemployed student can afford to buy an out-of-date device with the coveted “bitten apple”.

Article on the topic: Which iPhone will appear in 2018

However, due to the fact that the windows of Russian stores are full of iPhone and iPad models of different generations, confusion arises with SIM cards. It can be difficult for buyers to remember what type of SIM card is installed in a particular Apple device. Our article will once and for all eliminate the uncertainty in this matter.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus display size and resolution

The diagonal of the Retina HD screens of the iPhone 8/Plus has not changed - 4.7 and 5.5 inches. The resolution, image density and matrix type remained the same (as in the iPhone 7), but the picture still changed for the better.

iPhone 8

• Screen resolution: 1334 × 750 pixels;
• Pixel Density: 326 PPi (pixels/inch).

iPhone 8 Plus

Screen resolution: 1920 × 1080; Pixel density: 401 PPi (pixels/inch).

First of all, thanks to the use of True Tone technology, which has already been tested on iPad Pro tablets. Its essence lies in determining the color temperature of the environment with a special 4-channel sensor and subsequent automatic correction of white balance on the screen. Coupled with improved contrast, this allows colors to be rendered as realistic as possible.

It is also worth mentioning dual-domain pixels, the use of which significantly expands comfortable viewing angles. This technology was used back in the iPhone 6, placing the pixels not parallel to the perimeter of the screen, but with a slight deviation, which compensates for the unevenness of the glow.

Built-in Apple SIM card

The following iPad models have a built-in Apple SIM card.

• iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 2nd generation) Wi-Fi + Cellular model
• iPad Pro (10.5-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular model
• iPad Pro (9.7-inch) Wi-Fi + Cellular model
• iPad mini (5th generation)
• iPad Air (3rd generation)

These iPad models also have a nano-SIM card tray, so you can use a nano-SIM card from any carrier or an active Apple SIM card.* These models will not support an Apple SIM card unless it has been activated.

*Contact your service provider for details.

Source

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cameras

No one expected any special hardware innovations regarding the iPhone X camera; there is nothing to say about the iPhone 8 . We have last year’s 12-megapixel matrix, 6 lenses in a wide-angle lens, ƒ/1.8 aperture and optical stabilization in the 4.7-inch model, as well as an additional telephoto lens with an ƒ/2.8 aperture in its 5.5-inch brother (iPhone 8 Plus).

The only innovation is a 4-LED True Tone flash, which illuminates objects more accurately, preventing individual areas from being blown out.

However, iPhone lovers will still notice the difference between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. Thanks to the power of the A11 Bionic processor, the developers were able to significantly improve the quality of HDR images, improve autofocus and expand the color range.

In addition, during the development of the Face ID sensor for iPhone X, Apple engineers and programmers spent a lot of time studying and creating algorithms for tracking the user’s face, some of which were used to improve the portrait photo mode. iPhone 8 Plus clearly defines facial contours when shooting, allowing you to blur the background more naturally and apply new lighting effects.

The front camera also did not receive an update. The new smartphones received a 7 MP selfie camera.

Design - the same thing for four years

The new plus makes several impressions. Here are the key ones.

Lord, how healthy he is!

The iPhone 8 Plus is the worst example of a smartphone with a 5.5-inch screen. Why did I raise this topic again, since this was already clear with the example of the 6 Plus? Because this perfectly demonstrates the manufacturer’s relationship with its fans: “everything is for their sake, so that they feel good, so that each new generation is more comfortable than the previous one.” Yeah!

The market is full of smartphones with the same screen, but in a more compact body. Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi have been particularly successful in this.

A smartphone is inconvenient anytime, anywhere. It barely fits into the front pants pocket. If you still shoved it there, got into the car and drove off, God forbid, they will call you. It’s simply impossible to take the device out of your pocket while moving and not dig into a pole.

However, a large display is truly a boon. Surfing the Web, scrolling through Instagram feed, typing on a normal keyboard - all this is much more convenient to do than on a regular eight. When I was using the latter, I found myself thinking that I needed to stop and concentrate in order to type without errors. Plus allows you to use it in a more relaxed way.

How to show off now?

For the fourth year in a row, the same front panel. Nothing, literally nothing new.

Oh yes! Apple now claims the glass is 50 percent stronger. I didn't check this, but I'm sure one of you will do it sooner or later.

But I checked the device for something else - for scratch resistance, and the new iPhone failed the test.

In just a week and a half of use, scratches appeared on both the display and the back cover. This is completely out of the question!

All the changes are at the back - now we don’t have smoothly polished metal, but tempered glass. But with an oleophobic coating, which is of very high quality.

There is no exact information on the type of glass. They say this is the latest generation of Gorilla Glass, and this, if anything, is the fifth version.

Such a panel was installed at the back for one single purpose. The nosebleed smartphone needed at least some innovation, so it was decided to place wireless charging inside. However, this cannot be called an innovation, because “skis” have been actively using this technology in their flagships for four years now.

Since a special coil is used under the glass for this purpose, the battery had to be reduced in size. We write down 225 mAh as a loss (the 7 Plus had 2900 mAh, but now it’s 2675).

He's never black!

Have you looked at the “ass”? We have already realized that black iPhones from the current line are no longer available. Now we have space gray or Space Gray. Actually, as it was before.

Personally, I don't like it. The back panel looks okay, but it's not exactly a "wow" thing.

Things are even worse with other colors. Look at the golden one, the back of which is white in the light, but is “rusty” indoors?

The silver version is the most boring. For conservatives and those who are not at all embarrassed by the huge frames on the sides of the screen.

It slides, but not like that

One of the main tactile-visual characteristics of the iPhone 8 Plus is that it is still slippery, but it cannot be compared with its metal predecessor (not Jet Black). The glass on the back definitely adds a touch of grip. Well, how? Not much, 30-40 percent.

However, due to its large size, dropping the smartphone on the floor and now saying goodbye to both glasses is still a piece of cake. So purchasing a cover is strictly required.

If anything, iFixit has already disassembled the new product and gave it 6 out of 10 points on the maintainability scale. This means that if something happens, repairing a new product will be more difficult than the same seven (7 points).

Plays louder

As in its predecessor, the sound comes from two speakers at once: from the main one at the bottom and the speaker at the top. The latter sounds quieter, but adds good stereo.

The new Plus plays louder than the old one. By 25% according to official statements. I’ll check this later in a separate review, where I’ll compare both generations of devices, but for now we’ll take Apple’s word for it.

The sound itself is of high quality and loud, not even above average, but rather closer to the maximum of what I have heard. And of course, 8 Plus is a little louder than a regular eight. Another argument in favor of buying its older brother.

Little things

The antenna frames are now very short and visible only at the ends. If anything, the base of the case is made of 7000-series aluminum (it doesn’t bend, that is), and Apple also talks about some kind of “steel base.” Apparently it's inside the case.

The physical buttons are made very carefully and do not wobble in their grooves. Not a single manufacturer of Android smartphones pays attention to this - everything rattles like a rattle. But not the iPhone.

Don't worry about the protruding camera. Here we have sapphire glass, so it will be extremely difficult to scratch the lenses.

Examples of photos taken on iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

Results

In our review, the iPhone 12 received 16 likes, and the iPhone 8 had 2. Should you make a decision yet? Take your time, there are other parameters that can be viewed on the manufacturer’s websites. Let us once again highlight the advantages of each phone:

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus performance

It is not known for certain how exactly Apple separates the concepts of “efficiency” and “performance,” but in the new A11 Bionic processor, four cores are responsible for the first, and two cores for the second. Moreover, efficient cores work 70% faster than in the A10 Fusion (installed in the iPhone 7), and productive ones - by 25%. And of course, the new chip is superior to its predecessor in terms of energy efficiency

It will be much more interesting to evaluate the results of GPU tests when they are provided by independent experts. The fact is that in anticipation of the expected flowering of augmented reality technologies in mobile applications, Apple decided for the first time to use a GPU developed by its own engineers.

This is a 3-core processor, which, according to the description, is 30% more efficient than in the iPhone 7 and is capable of playing the most “heavy” AR games without a drop in FPS. At the same time, Apple expects that the release of the updated Metal 2 graphical shell will encourage developers to create applications with console-level graphics.

Phone size

For reference: there are 2.54 cm in one inch.

Everyone has their own idea of ​​the ideal display size. For some it is important that the phone easily fits into a jeans pocket, for others it is important to view photos. But let's return to the smartphones in question - they have different display sizes: the iPhone 12 has a much larger one. Let's also pay attention to the weight and thickness of the models: iPhone 8 is a little thinner and a little lighter in relation to its opponent.

Wireless charger

Apple implemented this module in the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X with the caption “Logical for the wireless world.” The fact that the wireless world, and with it a consortium of manufacturers using the Qi standard for charging mobile devices, has existed for almost 10 years, does not seem to have bothered anyone at the apple company. At the same time, Apple’s own AirPower wireless charging will go on sale only next year, but in the meantime, those interested can charge their iDevices (new iPhone, Apple Watch, Air Pods) using MFi-certified devices from Belkin and Mophie.

Built-in Apple SIM (iPad only)

In 2016, the Apple company for the first time released a tablet with a built-in proprietary Apple SIM (previously it could be used optionally in a regular tray). Apple SIM is not tied to any specific operator, the user can connect to any service provider anywhere in the world simply through the settings menu. At the same time, in parallel with the Apple SIM, the tablets from the list below have a regular tray for a Nano-SIM card.

We talked in more detail about the operation of Apple SIM and the support of this technology in Russia in this article.

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation (Wi-Fi + Cellular);
• iPad Pro 10.5 inches (Wi-Fi + Cellular);
• iPad Pro 9.7 inches (Wi-Fi + Cellular).

After the release of these tablets, Apple switched to using eSIM.

Prices and start of sales of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in Russia

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus come in two storage options - 64 GB and 256 GB. The most budget version of the iPhone 8 with 64 GB of memory will cost Russian buyers 56,990 rubles, while for the top-end version of the G8 you will have to pay 68,990 rubles.

The 5.5-inch brother traditionally sells a little more expensive: 64,990 rubles for the version of the iPhone 8 Plus with 64 GB of memory and 76,990 for 256 GB of storage.

Pre-orders for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will open on September 15, sales and deliveries will begin on September 29.

eSIM (virtual SIM)

A gadget with eSIM support does not require a SIM card in its standard sense as a physical object; in fact, it turns into a miniature component on the logic board of the smartphone. At the moment, many large operators already provide full support for the eSIM format.

• iPhone 11 Pro Max;
• iPhone 11 Pro;
• iPhone 11;
• iPhone XS;
• iPhone XS Max;
• iPhone XR;
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation (Wi-Fi + Cellular);
• iPad Pro 11 inches (Wi-Fi + Cellular);
• iPad Air 3rd generation (Wi-Fi + Cellular);
• iPad mini 5th generation (Wi-Fi + Cellular).