The iPhone 8 Plus (2017): A Comprehensive Review

Introduction

The iPhone 8 Plus, released in September 2017, marked a significant milestone in Apple's smartphone evolution. As the successor to the iPhone 7 Plus and launched alongside the iPhone 8 and the revolutionary iPhone X, the 8 Plus stood out with its blend of familiar design and cutting-edge features. This article delves into the various aspects of the iPhone 8 Plus, examining its design, performance, camera capabilities, and overall impact on the smartphone market.

Design and Build

At first glance, the iPhone 8 Plus maintained the classic aesthetic that had characterized Apple’s phones since the iPhone 6 series. However, it introduced a few noteworthy changes. The most significant was the shift from an aluminum back to a glass back, which facilitated wireless charging—an Apple first. The glass back, engineered by Corning, was touted as the most durable glass ever in a smartphone at the time.

The iPhone 8 Plus measured 158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm and weighed 202 grams, making it slightly heavier than its predecessor. Despite its larger size, it retained a sleek and premium feel, enhanced by the aerospace-grade aluminum frame. The device was available in three finishes: Silver, Space Gray, and a new Gold color that blended the previous Gold and Rose Gold hues into a single, elegant option.

Display

The iPhone 8 Plus featured a 5.5-inch Retina HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This provided a pixel density of 401 ppi, ensuring sharp and vibrant visuals. One of the standout features of the display was True Tone technology. This innovation used advanced sensors to adjust the screen's white balance according to the surrounding ambient light, offering a more natural viewing experience.

Additionally, the display supported a wide color gamut (P3) and included dual-domain pixels for wider viewing angles. The combination of these technologies resulted in a display that was not only brighter and more colorful but also more comfortable on the eyes, regardless of the lighting conditions.

Performance

Under the hood, the iPhone 8 Plus was powered by Apple’s A11 Bionic chip, a significant leap forward in processing power and efficiency. The A11 Bionic featured a six-core CPU with two performance cores that were 25% faster and four efficiency cores that were 70% faster than the A10 Fusion chip in the iPhone 7 Plus. This was complemented by an Apple-designed three-core GPU that delivered up to 30% faster graphics performance.

The Neural Engine, a new addition to the A11 Bionic chip, was designed to handle machine learning tasks. This was a precursor to many of the AI-driven features that would become standard in future iPhones. The combination of these elements resulted in a device that was not only fast but also highly capable of handling complex tasks such as augmented reality (AR) applications and high-end gaming.

Camera

The iPhone 8 Plus was equipped with a dual-camera system that included a 12 MP wide-angle and a 12 MP telephoto lens. This setup provided 2x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom. The wide-angle lens had an aperture of f/1.8, while the telephoto lens featured an aperture of f/2.8. Both lenses were enhanced by optical image stabilization (OIS), ensuring clearer photos and steadier videos.

One of the standout features of the iPhone 8 Plus camera was the introduction of Portrait Lighting. Building on the Portrait Mode introduced with the iPhone 7 Plus, Portrait Lighting used sophisticated algorithms to create lighting effects that mimicked professional studio setups. This feature allowed users to choose from various effects such as Natural Light, Studio Light, Contour Light, and Stage Light, adding a new dimension to portrait photography.

The iPhone 8 Plus also supported 4K video recording at 24, 30, or 60 fps, and 1080p HD video recording at 30 or 60 fps. Additionally, it could capture slow-motion video in 1080p at 120 or 240 fps. These capabilities made the iPhone 8 Plus a powerful tool for videographers and casual users alike.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery life has always been a crucial factor for smartphone users, and the iPhone 8 Plus did not disappoint. It offered comparable battery performance to its predecessor, the iPhone 7 Plus, with up to 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet use, and 14 hours of video playback.

The shift to a glass back enabled wireless charging, compatible with the Qi standard. This allowed users to charge their devices using a variety of wireless charging pads available on the market. The iPhone 8 Plus also supported fast charging, capable of reaching 50% charge in just 30 minutes with the appropriate adapter, although this adapter was sold separately.

Software and Features

The iPhone 8 Plus launched with iOS 11, introducing a host of new features and improvements. Notable additions included a redesigned Control Center, more efficient multitasking, and enhancements to Siri. iOS 11 also brought ARKit, Apple’s augmented reality framework, to the iPhone 8 Plus, enabling a new wave of AR applications and games.

Another significant feature was the improved security and convenience of Touch ID. Integrated into the home button, Touch ID allowed for quick and secure unlocking of the device, as well as seamless authentication for purchases and app access.