On September 12, 2017, the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, introduced the newest Apple devices and programs at the Steve Jobs Theater. Cook introduced the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iOS 11, watchOS 4, TV 4k, and the Apple Watch series 3.
Since 2007, Apple has released 18 different iPhones and 11 different versions of iOS. But as each new iPhone is released and prices increase, is it really necessary to upgrade from a working iPhone 7 to brand new iPhone 8 for $100-200 dollars more?
One of the main differences between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 is the difference in processors chips. Processors chips are the hardware that powers all of the products produced by Apple. The iPhone 8 uses the A11 Bionic Chip, whereas the iPhone 7 uses the A10 Fusion Chip. Apple claims the new A11 Bionic Chip can perform multiple tasks at once and is 70% faster than the A10 Fusion Chip, while still being more energy efficient. From my experience, I didn’t feel like the new chip made a difference in gaming graphics, but that does not affect my opinion because games on my phone are not very important to me.
According to Apple, the A11 Fusion Chip also allows for up to 50% battery charge in as little as 30 minutes. A longer battery life is something that I always look for in a phone because out of the 3 iPhone’s I have owned, the iPhone battery depletes quickly and takes longer to charge for less battery life as the phones became older. While using the iPhone 8, the battery life lasted a while longer than the iPhone 7, at least a good hour more of battery usage, even while I was on social media and had apps running in the background.
The iPhone 8 comes already programmed with iOS 11, but iPhones as far back as the iPhone 5S can upgrade to iOS 11. iOS 11 is the latest operating system update and includes a new control center design, new camera filters, and the ability to use iMessage to request and receive money with Apple Pay. I like the new camera filters that come with iOS 11, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to upgrade simply for some camera filters as iOS 10 works perfectly well on my iPhone and I dislike the new design of the control center. The new Apple Pay feature is very interesting and helpful in my opinion because it allows people to exchange money easy and simply without having to buy or open up any other apps.
Both iPhones use the same camera with 12 MP (megapixels), optical image stabilization, and digital zoom up to 5x. Although there is no difference in megapixels, I think the camera quality of Apple phones is very high already and does not need improvement. One big difference between the two cameras is the iPhone 8 uses camera technology called True Tone LED Sync. The iPhone 8 also uses Portrait Mode, which allows pictures to have a more professional look by blurring the background and bringing the person in the photo into focus. I think the Portrait Mode is a great addition to the iPhone as the feature gives pictures a more clean and artistic look.
The display size and quality did not change between the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 8, staying at 4.7” Retina HD Display, which provides a high-definition screen resolution. I think the screen resolution quality is already amazing, so no improvement was needed for the iPhone 8. The display and phone size are very similar to the iPhone 7, which I like because those who have small hands like myself know that larger phones are harder to hold and use. Although when using the iPhone 8, the screen quality looked much improved and the colors were very bright and vivid.
When a new iPhone is introduced, Apple will keep color options the same, or add new colors to choose from. But while the iPhone 7 offers 5 five different colors: Black, Jet Black, Gold, Rose Gold, and Silver, the iPhone 8 only offers 3 colors: Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. I really like the Gold color on the iPhone 7, which is what colors my phone has. The iPhone 8’s Gold looks like a mix of Rose Gold and Gold which in my opinion doesn’t look as nice as the previous Gold. The Black with the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7 is the same color, but the overall phone looks a little different depending on which iPhone you buy. The iPhone 7 has a matte back, while the iPhone 8 has the glass back with gives the phone a very sleek and glossy finish. The glass back allows for wireless charging, but a wireless charger can cost upwards of $60 depending on the brand.
Personally, I don’t think it’s worth it to upgrade to the iPhone 8, unless your phone no longer works. You can achieve the same programs provided in iOS11 on an older phone and avoid spending more money. Yes, the screen quality is sharper and the picture quality is much improved, but spending a significant amount of money for a few minor upgrades is personally not justifiable.
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