Released in September 2017, the iPhone 8 Plus was an incremental but important upgrade, bringing wireless charging, improved performance, and enhanced photography capabilities. It shared many design features with the iPhone 7 Plus but included significant internal upgrades, including a faster chip and better camera functionality.
Specifications
- Display: 5.5-inch Retina HD Display, 1080 x 1920 pixels (401 ppi)
- Dimensions: 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm (6.28 x 3.07 x 0.30 inches)
- Weight: 202 grams (7.13 ounces)
- Storage Options: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB (no external storage)
- Processor: Hexa-core Apple A11 Bionic, with two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores
- RAM: 3 GB
- Operating System: iOS 11 (upgradable to iOS 16)
- Camera: Dual 12 MP rear cameras (wide: f/1.8, telephoto: f/2.8) with OIS, 4K video recording at 24/30/60 fps, 7 MP front camera
- Battery: 2691 mAh, non-removable, up to 21 hours talk time on 3G, 384 hours standby
- Connectivity: 4G LTE, 3G (HSDPA), Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
- Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, barometer, fingerprint sensor (Touch ID)
Design and Display
The iPhone 8 Plus featured a 5.5-inch Retina HD Display with a 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution, making for a sharp, vibrant visual experience. It retained the aluminum body of previous iPhones but incorporated a glass back, enabling wireless charging for the first time on an iPhone. Apple claimed the glass was the most durable ever used on a smartphone. The device came in three colors: Silver, Space Gray, and Gold.
A11 Bionic Chip
The A11 Bionic chip was a key feature of the iPhone 8 Plus, with its hexa-core CPU (two high-performance cores and four efficiency cores). This made the iPhone 8 Plus 70% faster than its predecessor, allowing it to handle demanding tasks and graphics-intensive games with ease. The chip also had a built-in Neural Engine for handling machine learning tasks and augmented reality (AR) applications.
Camera Enhancements
The iPhone 8 Plus featured a dual 12 MP rear camera setup, consisting of a wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture and a telephoto lens with f/2.8 aperture. The optical image stabilization (OIS) and improved sensors allowed for better low-light performance and sharper images. The Portrait Mode was enhanced, offering better depth-of-field effects, and a new Portrait Lighting feature allowed users to apply studio-quality lighting effects to their photos.
The camera also supported 4K video recording at up to 60 fps, as well as 1080p slow-motion video at 240 fps. The front-facing 7 MP camera provided better selfies and video calls with 1080p video recording capabilities.
Battery Life
The iPhone 8 Plus came with a 2691 mAh battery, which provided:
- Up to 21 hours of talk time on 3G
- Up to 13 hours of internet use on LTE or Wi-Fi
- 14 hours of video playback
- 60 hours of audio playback
- 384 hours of standby time
The addition of wireless charging via the Qi standard made charging more convenient, and the device also supported fast charging, allowing up to 50% charge in just 30 minutes with an 18W adapter (sold separately).
Operating System and Software Features
The iPhone 8 Plus shipped with iOS 11, introducing several new features:
- Augmented Reality (ARKit): Enabling AR applications with more immersive experiences.
- Redesigned Control Center: Customizable and more user-friendly.
- Improved Siri: Including translation features and a more natural-sounding voice.
- Files App: A centralized location for file management, syncing files across devices.
The iPhone 8 Plus was upgradable to iOS 16, ensuring it received new features and security updates well after its initial release.
Connectivity
The iPhone 8 Plus supported 4G LTE Advanced, allowing faster mobile internet speeds. It also included Wi-Fi 802.11ac with MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC for Apple Pay transactions.
Reception and Legacy
The iPhone 8 Plus was praised for its improvements in processing power, camera quality, and the addition of wireless charging. It was seen as a refined version of the iPhone 7 Plus, with better performance and new features like Portrait Lighting and wireless charging. However, it shared much of its design with previous models, and some users felt it was overshadowed by the launch of the iPhone X, which introduced a radical new design and Face ID.
Conclusion
The iPhone 8 Plus was a powerful and feature-packed device, offering improved performance with the A11 Bionic chip, enhanced photography features with its dual-camera system, and the convenience of wireless charging. While its design was similar to earlier models, the internal upgrades made it a strong choice for users looking for a large, high-performing iPhone. Despite being somewhat eclipsed by the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus remains a significant milestone in the evolution of Apple’s smartphone lineup.