iPhone 8: Key Features and Specifications

iPhone 8

The iPhone 8 is a smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc., released on September 22, 2017, alongside the iPhone 8 Plus and the premium iPhone X. Positioned as an incremental upgrade to the iPhone 7 series, it retained a similar form factor to its predecessor but introduced key hardware improvements, including wireless charging and a more powerful processor. Targeting mainstream users who preferred the traditional Touch ID home button over the iPhone X’s Face ID and edge-to-edge display, the iPhone 8 was discontinued in April 2020.

1. Key Specifications

Category	Details
Display	4.7-inch Retina HD LCD; 1334 × 750 resolution (326 ppi); 625 cd/m² max brightness; True Tone technology; IP67 water and dust resistance
Processor	A11 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture; 6-core CPU (2 performance cores + 4 efficiency cores); Apple-designed GPU (3-core); M11 motion coprocessor
Camera System	Rear: 12 MP wide-angle camera (f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilization, 4K video recording at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60/120 fps); Portrait Mode with depth controlFront: 7 MP FaceTime HD camera (f/2.2 aperture, 1080p video recording, Portrait Mode support)
Storage Options	64 GB / 256 GB (no expandable storage)
Battery & Charging	1,821 mAh lithium-ion battery; up to 14 hours of talk time; supports Qi wireless charging (first iPhone with this feature); 18W fast charging (requires separate adapter)
Biometric Security	Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into the home button
Connectivity	4G LTE Advanced; Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (MIMO); Bluetooth 5.0; NFC for Apple Pay; Lightning port
Operating System	Initially shipped with iOS 11; upgradable to iOS 16 (final supported version, released in 2022)
Dimensions & Weight	138.4 × 67.3 × 7.3 mm; 148 g
Materials & Design	Glass front and back (for wireless charging compatibility); aluminum frame; available in Silver, Space Gray, and Gold color options

2. Core Features & Improvements Over iPhone 7

2.1 A11 Bionic Chip

The A11 Bionic marked a significant performance leap, delivering 25% faster CPU speeds and 30% faster GPU performance than the A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7. It was the first Apple chip built on a 10nm manufacturing process, balancing speed and energy efficiency—enabling smoother gaming, 4K video editing, and AR applications via ARKit (Apple’s augmented reality platform).

2.2 Wireless Charging

A flagship upgrade: the iPhone 8’s glass body supported Qi wireless charging, allowing users to charge the device by placing it on a compatible wireless charging pad. Apple also introduced the AirPower mat (later canceled) to enable simultaneous charging of iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

2.3 Camera Enhancements

The rear 12 MP camera added support for Portrait Mode with depth control, letting users adjust the background blur (bokeh effect) before or after taking a photo.
Improved image signal processing (ISP) in the A11 chip enhanced low-light performance and color accuracy.
4K video recording at 60 fps (up from 30 fps in the iPhone 7) for smoother, more detailed footage.

2.4 True Tone Display

The Retina HD LCD screen featured True Tone technology, which adjusts white balance based on ambient lighting conditions to reduce eye strain and deliver more natural-looking colors.

3. Market Position & Reception

Target Audience: The iPhone 8 was positioned as a mid-range flagship for users who preferred the compact 4.7-inch form factor and Touch ID, avoiding the higher price and radical design of the iPhone X.
Critical Reception: Praised for its performance, camera upgrades, and wireless charging support; criticized for its lack of design innovation compared to the iPhone X and the absence of a headphone jack (retained from the iPhone 7).
Sales Performance: Overshadowed by the iPhone X’s hype, but maintained steady sales among users loyal to the traditional iPhone design.