Apple iPhone 8 smartphone: testing the new compact flagship

The debates surrounding the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus – the new versions of Apple’s smartphone – continue unabated. Before the release of the iPhone X, they gained flagship status. Among the two new models, the iPhone 8 seems to be the more interesting one – precisely because the iPhone X, with its 5.8-inch display, will clearly push the iPhone 8 Plus into the background, while the iPhone 8 will remain relevant as a compact model even after the release of the iPhone X. So let’s take a detailed look at the pros and cons of the iPhone 8 and compare it with its immediate predecessor.

In general, the idea of releasing two flagships first and then, just a little over a month later, an even cooler flagship seems questionable. After all, new iPhones are primarily bought by enthusiasts, those who want the latest technologies, the trendiest designs; those who love to feel at the peak of progress. But for them, the more interesting model is the iPhone X. For those who approach the choice of a device more rationally, the latest iPhones are consciously uninteresting, as previous generation models, which do not significantly lag behind in user qualities, can be purchased much cheaper.

However, this applies less to the iPhone 8 models than to the iPhone 8 Plus, as the "eight" will at least for a year be the most advanced compact model in Apple’s smartphone lineup, and those who want to get the most advanced features but prefer smaller devices should pay attention to the iPhone 8.

Let’s take a look at the device specifications.

Technical Specifications of Apple iPhone 8

SoC Apple A11 Bionic (6 cores, 2 of which are high-performance and operate at 2.1 GHz, and 4 – are energy-efficient)
GPU Apple A11 Bionic
Apple M11 motion coprocessor, which includes a barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass
RAM 2 GB
Flash memory 64/256 GB
No support for memory cards
Operating system iOS 11
Touchscreen IPS, 4.7", 1334×750 (326 ppi), capacitive, multitouch, support for 3D Touch technology and Taptic Engine feedback
Cameras: front (7 MP, video 1080p 30 fps, 720p 240 fps) and rear (12 MP, 4K video recording 60 fps and Full HD 240 fps)
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz; MIMO support)
Cellular connectivity: UMTS/HSPA/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz); GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, LTE Advanced support
Bluetooth 5.0 A2DP LE
Third-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner
NFC (for Apple Pay only)
Support for Qi wireless charging
Universal Lightning connector
1821 mAh lithium polymer battery, non-removable
GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS
Dimensions 138×67×7.3 mm
Weight 148 g
For clarity, let’s compare the specifications of the new model with the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7.

The differences, judging by the table, are relatively small. Firstly, both smartphones of the latest generation have a new SoC and wireless charging (in addition to the regular one), secondly, the flash memory options of 32 and 128 GB have given way to the 64 GB option (the maximum 256 GB option remains unchanged). Additionally, we can note the introduction of the 4K 60 fps recording mode. However, many hardware and software improvements of the camera did not make it to our standard list of specifications, and if we are to talk about them, it will be while testing the devices in practice. We will move on to that.

Packaging and Accessories

The design of the iPhone 8 box is similar to the previous model, except that the shadow on the image of the smartphone is meant to emphasize the main feature of the design: the glass back.

Inside, there’s nothing new either: EarPods with a Lightning connector, a Lightning to mini-jack adapter, leaflets, a charger (5V 1A), a Lightning cable, stickers, and a SIM card ejector tool.

Design

How much has the iPhone itself changed externally? It must be admitted, minimally. If you look at the smartphone from the front, it is not at all apparent that this is not an iPhone 7. The main innovation, as already mentioned, is the glass back cover.

As we remember, the last version of the iPhone with a glass back cover was the iPhone 4S (and before it, the iPhone 4). Many users still nostalgically remember this design. Now the iPhone once again has a glass back, and it is beautiful, we must admit.

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At the same time, it cannot be said that the device has become slippery; it is quite comfortable to hold in hand. Overall, it gives a pleasant impression. An important point: thanks to the glass back, the smartphone now supports wireless charging according to the Qi standard. 

Returning to the question of changes in appearance, we must admit that, unfortunately, the glass surface is not enough to feel the new iPhone as something cutting-edge. Yes, it’s a beautiful smartphone. But, firstly, you should put on a case – and all this splendor is hidden, and secondly, impressing with a glass back in 2017 is hardly possible. The rest we have already seen in the iPhone 7.

The placement of connectors, buttons, camera, flash, and other elements has not changed compared to the iPhone 7. The only new detail, besides the glass back, is the mirrored Apple logo. It also looks impressive, we must admit. But again, it’s hard to call this a serious innovation.

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However, there is one significant design change, and it concerns not the visual side but the sound: it’s about the redesigned speakers. Apple reports that the speakers have become 25% louder. It’s hard to say if this figure is accurate, but indeed, even compared to the iPhone 7 Plus, the increase in volume when playing music through the smartphone’s speakers is noticeable.

But more important than the volume itself is the improved sound quality. For comparison, we played the track "The Spoils" by the group Massive Attack on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 Plus. It is challenging for a smartphone for two reasons: firstly, due to the deep bass beat, and secondly, due to the bright female vocals. On the iPhone 7 Plus, listening to this track at maximum volume is simply unpleasant: noise, distortion, and sound artifacts are so strong that it cannot bring any pleasure. Moreover, not only the beat is distorted, but also the voice. Whereas on the iPhone 8, the voice sounds much clearer, and the bass, although it does not become more pronounced, does not drown in noise.

It is clear that the example with the Massive Attack track is radical: even on the iPhone 8, such tracks do not sound good enough to be enjoyable. But at least it’s not as bad as before, and the very fact of progress in this direction is very pleasing. The iPhone 8 can be used for playing audiobooks, some quiet background music, and, of course, loud calls, and it handles this much better than its predecessor.

Summarizing our impressions of the design of the iPhone 8, we can say that the most interesting aspect here is not even the glass back and wireless charging (after all, in the Android smartphone camp, these features have been common for several years), but the significantly improved speaker, which did not affect the dimensions and other design qualities.

By the way, the fact that the iPhone 8 has practically the same dimensions as its predecessor and a similar arrangement of all elements is a big plus for case enthusiasts. They won’t need to buy new cases if they previously had an iPhone 7. But on the other hand, this is a minus for those who like to casually show off their new smartphone. In a case, the iPhone 8 will be indistinguishable from the iPhone 7 even to people who know them very well, and without a case, the only difference is the glass back and the mirrored logo.

Screen

The screen parameters of the iPhone 8 do not differ from those of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7: a diagonal of 4.7 inches, an IPS matrix with a resolution of 1134×750. By modern standards, these are average parameters. However, the manufacturer has implemented many interesting technologies in the iPhone 8 screen.

The front surface of the screen is made of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here’s a photo where white surfaces are reflected on the turned-off screens (left – Nexus 7, right – Apple iPhone 8, they can be distinguished by size):

The screen on the Apple iPhone 8 is slightly darker.