Whether a diehard Apple fan or not, with this year marking the 10th anniversary of the first ever iPhone release, its been hard to ignore the growing online buzz around the imminent iPhone 8.
But, as per any Apple launch, beneath the build-up and enthusiasm theres also a certain amount of whispering scepticism will the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus live up to the hype?
To help cut through some of the marketing blather, weve put together a quick rundown of all the important details that you need to know. Check it out.
The big day is almost here
The good news is, it wont take long to discover if the iPhone 8 is worth the wait pre-orders opened on the 15th of September and an official release date (the 22nd of September) has already been named.
Reviews, critiques and countless smug Instagram posts are due to flood your newsfeed any day now.
So what can we expect in terms of tech specs, design and overall appearance? Well, heres what we know so far:
- A sleek, streamlined design thanks to a glass back (Apple assures us its super durable and dust and water resistant)
- A choice of gold, space grey or silver finishes
- A11 Bionic chips
- A 12MP camera
- wireless charging
- A 4.7 display in the iPhone 8 or a 5.5 display if you opt for the 8 Plus
Youll find plenty of more exhaustive lists of tech specs online, but for us, the most exciting new feature of the iPhone 8 is its Augmented Reality (AR) capabilities read on to find out why.
Designed for both work and play but mostly play
Whether you use it to find mobile bingo sites, feed your Candy Crush addiction or to turn your iPhone into a portable office, its the AppStore that really secured the original iPhones place as an essential piece of modern kit.
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus look set to keep your favourite apps going and promise to take them to the next level.
Designed specifically with AR in mind, Apple says of the iPhone 8: With ARKit, iOS developers are taking advantage of the worlds largest AR platform, creating games and apps offering fantastically immersive and fluid experiences that go far beyond the screen.
Of course, the potential applications for AR are huge, but so far most of the emphasis has been on immersive 3D gaming and we, for one, couldnt be more excited to start playing.
The bottom line
This chat about innovative AR technology and A11 Bionic chips only begs one question, though how much?
Apples not exactly renowned for its budget-friendly prices and the new releases are no exception to the rule. The iPhone 8 comes in at 699 for 64GB or 849 for 256GB, while the 8 Plus will set you back 799 for 64GB or 949 for 256GB.
Not exactly cheap, but there are ways to manage the cost (check out our savvy guide here).
Just promise one thing in return for our money-saving tips – if you do get your paws on an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus before we do, drop us a comment or email to give us the lowdown! We cant wait to read your thoughts and reviews.