iPhone 8 Preview

What's new?

Glass 

While the iPhone 8 doesn't look too different when compare to last year's iPhone 7, the back is now glass rather than aluminium. Apple says it's built from the most durable glass found in a smartphone to date, and reinforced by an internal steel and copper structure. We're hoping that means the iPhone 8 is pretty damn durable, because more glass tends to mean more things you can crack. 

True Tone Display

True Tone technology, first introduced with the iPad Pro, features in the iPhone 8's 4.7-inch screen, and will automatically adjust the colour temperature of the display to match the ambient lighting of your environment. 

We've found this can help make your screen look natural, and in turn, make it a little easier on your eyes. 

A better camera

The iPhone 8 has a 12MP rear-facing camera with optical image stablisation and aperture of f/1.8. Apple says this lens will let in 83% more light than last year's iPhone 7, which should be a boon for lowlight photography. 

In terms of video, you're now able to film 4K footage at 60fps and 1080p slow motion video at 240fps. The cameras have also been optimised for augmented reality apps.

Wireless Charging

The iPhone 8's glass design has allowed Apple to add in wireless charging. Thankfully, Apple is using the existing Qi standard, rather than creating its own. Qi wireless charging has been used in smartphones for a number of years now, which means that most existing Qi charging pads should work with the iPhone 8. 

Apple will be launching its own multi-device wireless charger next year, but manufacturers such as Belkin will have wireless pads on sale from next week. 

Hardware

The iPhone 8 is powered by Apple's new A11 Bionic processor, which is a six-core chip said to provide as much as a 70% performance increase over last year's models.

When will the iPhone 8 be available?

It's available now!

How much will the iPhone 8 cost?

The iPhone 8 is the cheapest "new" iPhone, and pricing is roughly in line with what the iPhone 7 cost when it launched last year. 

• 32GB iPhone 8: $1,079
• 256GB iPhone 8: $1,329

If you're after the iPhone 8 on a plan, you can compare them here.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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