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Pre-order your Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus now
Journalists are torn about whether consumers should get the pricey iPhone 8 or 8 Plus or the pricier, but new and exciting iPhone X. You can now vote with your wallet, as the two new iPhone 8s (but not the iPhone X) have gone on pre-order at Apple's Store, various carriers and retailers like Target and Best Buy in the US. Also on pre-order is the Apple TV 4K and Watch series 3, with all products set to ship on September 22nd. In the UK, pre-orders are also up on Apple's site and with EE and other carriers.
AT&T's buy one get one free deal on the iPhone 8 has a big caveat
With the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models ready for pre-order on Friday, various carriers are letting their respective deals loose. AT&T has a couple of options for its customers. The first, beginning Friday, the carrier will run a buy-one-get-one-free deal on a number of smartphones, including the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Of course, that comes with a few caveats. You'll have to get both with the AT&T Next payment plan and you'll have to already have or sign up for DirecTV or U-Verse subscriptions. However, if you only want one of the new phones, AT&T is also offering a 32GB iPad for $100 if you get the phone on AT&T Next.
Apple's Portrait Lighting uses AI to color our memories
People already hate inane Snapchat-like AI photo filters, but a new trick called Portrait Lighting on Apple's iPhone 8 and X might cause even more dismay. Here's how Apple VP Phil Schiller describes it: "You compose a photo, the dual cameras and the ISP sense the scene, they create a depth map, and they actually change the lighting contours over the face." At first glance, that sounds like a nice, innocent feature, but it might one day create much more consternation than puking rainbows.
The iPhone 8 won't get lost in the shadow of the iPhone X
The iPhone X is a clear indication of where the smartphone industry is headed. Within two years, Apple's entire iPhone lineup will probably consist of edge-to-edge screens with a dual-camera setup and Face ID (assuming the latter is as secure and convenient as Apple claims). As such, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus might as well have been named "iPhone classic" -- 10 years in, it seems that big bezels and a home button are no longer necessary. But I'm not here to make the case for spending $1,000 or more on the iPhone X. (My colleague Mat Smith does that for you right here.) If, like me, you're in need of a new phone and prefer iOS to Android, there are plenty of compelling reasons to consider the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. Chief among them are the classic "first generation" problems that plague many new Apple products. In the past, when Apple has radically redesigned devices or introduced entirely new ones, they've often come with issues ranging from mild to severe. Who can forget the iPhone 4 and "Antennagate" or the iPhone 6 and "Bendgate?" It's worth noting that Apple has maintained that these type of problems were affecting only a small percentage of owners, but I'd still rather not have my extremely expensive phone developing annoying problems right off the bat.
When there's the iPhone X, why bother with the iPhone 8?
Apple announced three new phones yesterday, increasing buying indecision even more than when it first offered a Plus model alongside the iPhone 6 two years ago. Over the next month or two, the iOS faithful will have to decide between the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. But there really isn't a decision to make: If you can afford to spend a little more, get the iPhone X.
The most important stuff from today's iPhone event
This has been one busy day at Engadget. Today two of us found ourselves at Apple Park, the company's new California headquarters, where it held its first keynote to unveil the iPhone X and a bunch of other stuff. After a two-hour, news-filled liveblog, V headed off to the demo area, where he got hands-on with the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K. Meanwhile, I found a spot in front of one of Apple Park's futuristic glass buildings to break down what the heck just happened. This is our first take, but it won't be our last: Stay tuned to Engadget as we continue posting photos, videos and news analysis. Follow all the latest news from Apple's iPhone event here!
Belkin and Mophie offer wireless charging pads for the new iPhones
Now that Apple is suddenly a fan of wireless phone charging, iPhone-oriented charging pads are coming out of the woodwork: Belkin and Mophie have announced their own peripherals, the Boost Up and Wireless Charging Base. Both use Qi to top up your iPhone 8 or iPhone X minus wires, supplying up to 7.5W whether or not you have a case on your handset. The differences really come down to personal preference. The Belkin device (on the left) is larger and has an LED indicator to let you know when charging starts, while the Mophie model is more compact.
Watch the iPhone 8 event in 13 minutes
As expected, today's event at Apple's new Steve Jobs Theater was jam-packed. Three brand-new iPhone models, a new Apple Watch and a 4K Apple TV were the news of the day, and the whole event was nearly two hours long. Don't have that much time to watch the entire keynote? We've got you covered with this supercut, showing all the highlights of the day. Don't worry: We skipped over that semi-painful chat about Apple's retail stores -- sorry, I mean Town Squares.
Comparing the iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
There's always a lot to consider after an iPhone event, and today we're looking at three new phones. The iPhone X is the new flagship, offering up an edge-to-edge screen and TrueDepth front camera for unlocking your device with Face ID. But those who were looking forward to something less dramatic along the lines of a 7S will be right at home with the 8 and 8 Plus. If you're curious about what each respective device is offering under the hood, check out our handy table pitting the latest iPhones in a head-to-head spec battle.
Apple TV's 4K movie pricing is exactly what the 4K world needs
The Apple TV 4K's announcement was pretty much everything we expected -- after all, it was only a matter of time before Apple moved on from 1080p video with a more powerful set-top box. But there were a few big surprises in tow: Apple says it will upgrade 1080p films that you've purchased with 4K/HDR versions at no extra cost. And, moving forward, it won't be charging a premium for 4K movies, either. Together, these announcements are a big deal.
The new iPhones vs. the iPhone 7: What's changed?
This year's iPhone anniversary event has given us not one or two, but three new handsets to ponder over. The iPhone X is the star, offering us an edge-to-edge screen and a new front-facing TrueDepth camera. But we're still getting a new pair of numbered phones, the 8 and 8 Plus, for those who like to go a little more traditional, so to speak. If you're currently mulling an upgrade from your 7 or 7 Plus, we've made it a little easier by having the new phones face off in two tables -- one comparing the 4.7-inch devices and another for their bigger siblings, with the iPhone X making an appearance in both. Of course, specs aren't everything, so we'll have a review (or two) for you later this year for all the phones we saw today.
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus hands-on: Familiar, but not too familiar
While the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus aren't a complete redesign like the iPhone X, there's still plenty to dig into here. For starters, the new phones take the glass-backed design that is also in the X -- a move that makes them work with wireless charging. But from the front, they're basically indistinguishable from all of Apple's phones all the way back to the iPhone 6, which first came out in 2014. The larger bezels are still in place here, as is the home button, something that should make change-averse iPhone users happy.
Apple iPhone 8 event by the numbers
It was a momentous day at Apple's new campus, where the company revealed its fall product lineup on the tenth anniversary of the first iPhone's release. Apple showed off its cellular-enabled Watch Series 3, a 4K Apple TV, a pair of flashy new iPhone 8s, and the ridiculously decadent iPhone X. Numbers -- because what's an extra $300? Follow all the latest news from Apple's iPhone event here!
Apple's AirPower tech wirelessly charges multiple devices at once
Apple isn't just adding Qi wireless charging to its latest iPhones; it's trotting out a charging standard of its own. AirPower is built in partnership with Qi, but can top up multiple devices at once. At the September 12th presentation, Apple illustrated AirPower topping up an iPhone X, an Apple Watch and AirPods (with a new charging case) all at once. That's more than a little handy if you're traveling and would rather not lug around multiple adapters and cables. However, you'll have to wait to try it out.
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus start from £699 in the UK
The iPhone X might have been Apple's banner handset announcement, but that doesn't mean the numerical launches are any less important. The new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, showcased today, are sturdier, come with a new A11 Bionic processor (which is 25 percent faster than the A10 chip), sport upgraded Retina HD displays, utilise improved dual camera sensors that work better in low light and support a new shooting mode: Portrait Lighting. It took a while, but the new iPhones also support wireless charging. Apple's been careful to support the Qi standard, so if you're switching from an Android device, you might already own the necessary hardware. When the new handsets go up for pre-order on September 15th there will only be two variants: 64GB and 256GB. The iPhone 8 will set you back £699 and £849, while the iPhone 8 plus will be sold for £799 and £949 respectively. That's a significant markup on the £599 you might have paid for the iPhone 7. As is standard for Apple device launches, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will officially launch a week later, meaning you could have one in your hand as soon as September 22nd.
Apple can turn your facial expressions into animated emojis
It seems that the rumors were true: iPhone X owners can use their phone to map emojis from their facial expressions in real time. They need only select their chosen emoji from a fairly extensive list and the Animoji app will map your eye, mouth and cheek expressions to your animated counterpart. Yes, even the poo emoji.
Apple's new iPhones use AI 'Portrait Lighting' to improve shots
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus cameras are similar to those on the previous models, and the new iPhone X has a similar dual camera arrangement to the 8 Plus. While the hardware hasn't changed dramatically, there are some interesting new software features, though, most notably one called "Portrait Lighting." Taking advantage of the camera's multi-focus feature, it can separate you from the background and blur it out, as before, but now uses AI to examine the contours of your face and "light" you in a variety of flattering or dramatic ways.
Follow your favorite local sports teams with Apple’s latest TV update
Its venerable phone line wasn't the only newly minted product Apple showed off at the iPhone 8 event on Tuesday. Eddie Cue announced onstage that the company will expand availability of its TV app to seven new countries by the end of the year and will be adding local news and sports programming as well.
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus wrap more power in a glass-backed design
Today, Apple is likely to announce more phones than it has at any event in its history. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are two major parts of today's showcase, and after all those tantalizing leaks, we finally get to hear all about them. You won't have to wait much longer to handle one either: Both iPhone 8 models, which mark a return to glass-backed design, with a powerful-sounding new processor inside, will go on preorder September 15th, with a launch date of September 22nd. For the bigger handset, you'll get to pick storage configs with 64, 128 and 256GB options with prices start at $799, while iPhone 8 shoppers will get 64GB and 256GB options, with an entry-level price of $699. And yes, all three colors (silver, space gray and gold aluminum) will be coming to both phones. Let's take a look.
Watch Apple's iPhone X event right here!
You should probably read along on our liveblog (that's here), but if you like your Apple events in live video form -- and trapped in the same company's Safari browser -- you should probably mosey along to here, where Apple will be piping out all that molten iPhone news. You know what to expect, right? It all kicks off at 10 AM PDT. Mere minutes from now!
