At long last the Apple iPhone 8 is here and with it comes the bigger sibling in the iPhone 8 Plus. But this year it’s so much more than just a bump in size, this is the bridge to the top-end iPhone X.
While the iPhone 8 Plus has a larger screen than the iPhone 8, it’s still not as big or advanced as the iPhone X. But the power, cameras and more are built to a higher standard. So is the iPhone 8 Plus the ideal middle ground for the perfect new iPhone range? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 8 Plus.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Design
Glass is now on the front and back of the phone that comes in silver, space gray and a new gold finish.
The phone uses aerospace grade 7000 series aluminium alloy with a seven-layer colour finish and glass reinforced by steel – which Apple claims is most durable ever in a smartphone.
The iPhone 8 Plus is sealed for water and dust resistance. The speakers have also had a boost and now have deeper bass than before.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Screen
The screen on the iPhone 8 Plus is a 5.5-inch LCD TrueTone display with 3D Touch. That is a Retina Plus display meaning a 1920×1080 resolution which, on that size of screen delivers 401ppi.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Cameras
The iPhone 8 Plus’ primary snapper packs dual 12-megapixel sensors that offer a wider colour gamut, enhanced sharpness and less noise than ever. That should also mean better low light photography and enhanced natural bokeh background blur.
Portrait Mode lighting is a beta mode offering that lets you compose a photo that is sensed with a depth map where the subject and background are separated. It can then change the lighting on the face to create the best possible shot. You can even go into the app after taking it and adjust the lighting then.
Video mode is enhanced too with an Apple designed video encoder for faster frame rates and higher quality images. Real time analysis allows for optimisation of the video as you shoot in 4k60fps. There is also slow-motion for 1080p 240fps super slow mode, doubling the previous efforts.
Augmented reality is also covered now with hardware and software built for AR. That means low-light shots at 60fps with individually calibrated cameras – ideal for motion tracking. The new A11 Bionic chip also helps with real-time light analysis and more.
Thanks to the new image signal processor there is also better pixel processing for sharpness and texture. There’s hardware enabled noise reduction too.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Performance
The new A11 Bionic chip is a jump forward thanks to its six-core 64-bit setup. That’s 25 percent faster than the A10. This is all backed by an Apple-designed GPU for 3D apps and games using the Metal 2 framework.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Battery and wireless charging
Wireless charging has finally reached the iPhone. The iPhone 8 Plus can be placed on a charging plate to get the battery back to full power without the need to fiddle with a cable. This not only means being on a charging plate at home or in a coffee shop but also in a car.
The iPhone 8 Plus will use the Qi charging standard. Since Apple is now onboard this already popular platform it will likely become the norm meaning lots more places to wirelessly charge in the future.
There is also the new Apple AirPower plate that allows you to charge an iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch 3 and AirPods all at once.
Apple iPhone 8 Plus: Price and release date
The iPhone 8 Plus comes in 64GB and 256GB versions from £799 and will be out from 22 September.
