Is it worth changing iPhone 6s to 8? Is it necessary to change iPhone Plus to iPhone X. Real review. Non-clickable Home button - good

Apple presented its long-awaited new smartphones, and they caused mixed emotions. The anniversary flagship iPhone X has undergone a radical redesign and is not a device for everyone. And it’s not even about the high price tag, but about the concept itself. Not everyone will like the frameless design, not everyone will be happy with the abandonment of the Home button, and the lack of a fingerprint scanner (albeit with Face ID instead) may be disappointing.

In general, the iPhone X is a smartphone that quickly divided the audience of Apple technology fans. Already on the day of the presentation, most decided for themselves whether it was worth buying it or not. But the iPhone 8 is the ideological successor to last year’s iPhone 7, and therefore everything is not so simple with it. Let's look at the current prices:

To dispel or reinforce doubts and help you decide whether it’s worth upgrading from iPhone 7 to 8, let’s try to analyze the differences between smartphones and find out the main ones.

Differences between iPhone 7 and 8

As can be seen from the table, the new product does not have very many changes. They relate to design, chipset, communications, camera and battery. To decide whether it’s worth upgrading from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8, you need to analyze whether any of the innovations are important to you, or whether they will not be appreciated by you in practice.

Do you like the glass on the back?

The first innovation that catches your eye is the new back materials. The iPhone is now glass, and you have to decide for yourself whether this is a plus or a minus. Some people like glossy smooth surfaces that shimmer in the sun, while others prefer metal. Glass, although beautiful, is fragile, which is also important to consider. And even though the manufacturer claims that the engineers took care of the strength, glass remains glass, no one has canceled physics.

If I were an Apple fan, I would change the iPhone 7 to 8 as soon as sales start. Subjectively, he has become much more beautiful and respectable in appearance. But is it worth changing the seven just for the glass panel in the eight? Think carefully.

Do you like to play?

The second important innovation is the Apple A11 Bionic chipset. It has 6 cores, which are up to 70% faster than its predecessor, new graphics, and is produced using a thinner 10 nm process technology. This means that the chip has become faster and more economical at the same time. Gamers will clearly appreciate the performance boost.

If mobile games are alien to you, there is no point in immediately buying a new iPhone. Apple always designs hardware for the future, so the iPhone 7 is still very fast. Its speed in the browser and messengers will definitely be enough for at least another couple of years. And if you change iPhone 7 to 8 now, you may simply not notice the increase in performance.

And now about the headsets

The new chipset also has updated communication modules. One of them is a 5th generation Bluetooth transceiver. It should provide communication over a greater distance, as well as increased speeds, compared to the previous version 4.2. For users of wireless headsets, this means that the connection with the headphones should become more reliable, and the amount of interference and stuttering should be reduced to a minimum.

If you don't use wireless headphones, you won't notice the Bluetooth update. And if you do use them, then the headphones must also comply with the latest generation Bluetooth standard. Otherwise, communication will be maintained at the speeds of the slower device. Therefore, if you did not plan to buy new Bluetooth headphones, then the updated communication module in the new iPhone cannot be a serious argument in favor of its purchase.

And a little about cameras

The camera in the iPhone 8 remains physically the same as in its predecessor. This is still the same 12-megapixel 1/3" matrix with relatively high-aperture f/1.8 optics. There are no revolutionary innovations in it, but several evolutionary changes have nevertheless appeared.

Thanks to the increased performance of the chipset, engineers taught the iPhone 8 camera to shoot 4K video at a frame rate of 60 FPS. This is twice as much as in the iPhone 7. The maximum video recording speed in FullHD has also doubled (to 240 FPS).

The second change concerns the flash. Its design remains the same (4 LEDs with different color temperatures), but the Slow Sync function has been added. Thanks to it, when shooting in the dark, the smartphone first sends a slow impulse for “sighting” in order to correctly set the white balance and light sensitivity, and then shoots with a flash. This mechanism should reduce the amount of glare and light in night shots.

If you like to write Slow-Mo videos or often take photographs at night, you can change the iPhone 7 to 8. But if most of your photos are taken during the day, and you record videos in FullHD 30 or 60 FPS, then you probably won’t notice the difference.

The main changes are in the power system

The most noticeable change in the iPhone 8 compared to its predecessor is the glass design. The most significant innovation from a technical point of view can be considered the Apple A11 chipset. However, for many users, the most useful and practical innovation will be the emergence of new charging technologies.

Firstly, the iPhone 8 received support for fast charging. Apple fans can breathe a sigh of relief: they waited. Opponents of Apple smartphones seem to have lost one of the reasons for gloating: now the iPhone takes no longer to charge than Android handsets. The developers promise to replenish the capacity up to 50% in half an hour.

The second innovation in terms of battery is wireless charging. And not some special one, incompatible with anything (and Apple loves that), but the most common and proven Qi. Of course, it cannot transmit energy over a meter distance, but there are plenty of charging pads on sale. They are sold separately, they are built into IKEA furniture, and electronics giants produce monitors with such emitters in a stand.

Thanks to fast charging, you won’t have to wait for hours for a refill to reach 100%, but will quickly recharge a dead device. Wireless charging allows you to reduce the situation when the battery suddenly runs out to a minimum. After all, by placing a charging pad at your workplace, you can periodically place your smartphone on it, and always leave your home or office with a charged battery.

Conclusion

The analysis showed that the new iPhone 8 has become more beautiful (although this is my subjective opinion, not an axiom), more powerful, and more energy efficient. He learned to work with the latest generation of Bluetooth headsets and began to take better videos and night photos. Now the iPhone charges quickly (if you additionally buy a charger for fast charging), and can also be recharged wirelessly.

If these words already have an attractive effect on you, then it will not be possible to dissuade you from changing your iPhone 7 to an eight (and why?). If you are not very impressed by the list of innovations, then there is no reason to change last year’s Apple smartphone to a new one.

In my review I talked about:

• How to drown a phone?
• Where NOT to buy a phone?
• What volume should I buy: 16-64 or 128GB?
• What's the most annoying thing about your phone?
• Why I don't like Android.
• And.. HIDDEN FEATURES of the phone that I use

I won’t repeat myself in order to fill up the number of stars and views, so now I’ll tell you specifically and to the point.

In February 2018 I decided to buy a new phone, and I went to the store with the clear intention of buying an 8+, but already in the store I changed my mind, citing the very large size and inconvenience in the hand. We bought 2 iPhones: 8 and 8+, and when I got home I started testing both of them.

MY OPINION:

• I never run after the latest Apple products, I have absolutely no desire to help someone unknown to me make money. And in fact, I don’t see any difference in them. Apple churns out one by one, adding something minor, while doing everything to ensure that previous phones become bricks. We all know very well how Apple usually releases a “new product” 1-2 times a year. Moreover, he does this not when worthwhile ideas have actually appeared, but when deadlines are approaching .
• About bricks. Which version is no longer updated? It seems that 6ka is the last thing that is being updated, and it came out 3 years ago. What Apple does year after year: first they release an update that begins to slow down the entire system of the “old” phone (the old one is 2-3 years old), then not only updates, but all applications from the Apple Store disappear completely. From now on, by telephone it becomes possible - just call. At the same time, my mother still has a 3rd one and it works great, I think many people still have these ancient devices, so why not continue to support them from the operating system side? It's simple - MONEY! It is not profitable! It is profitable to release new products and systematically destroy old ones.
• I buy phones for real NEEDS. For example, I drowned my 6s 2 years ago. They restored it, but promised that it would work for 1-2 years. 2 years passed and it began to turn off and work on its own (that is, separately from me), the battery in the cold was discharged in one second from 100% to 0. It was possible to replace the battery, and it would become easier. But I thought it wasn't worth it.
• To be able to carry my phone as long as possible before it turns into a brick, I buy always the latest version. That is, for example, now there are still 7 and 7+ on the shelves, but I didn’t consider these options at all, because they will systematically die faster than 8 and X, since they were released a year earlier.
• I didn't buy X because face unlocking is the highest stage of idiocy, especially while driving. I know cases where a person has to raise the phone to eye level for the phone to unlock, but I also know people who are very happy with this function. I don’t know which side I would be on, but I have a presentiment that I would be on the annoyed side.
• I don't know whether to buy you a new phone or not. For me the real difference between the 6s and 8 is the Camera, sound and lack of audio output. Without a reason (if 6ka had not died), I would not buy 8ka.

EQUIPMENT

In the box we will see:

• Telephone
• Documentation
• Power adapter
• Charging cord
• Headphones
• Headphone adapter

The phone has exactly the same dimensions as the 6/6s:

Since starting with iPhone 7 there is no audio output, but Apple stubbornly refuses to include Bluetooth headphones in the kit, they carefully include an adapter:

In fact, they removed the audio output and added stereo sound to the phone. But this is TE-LE-FON!!! For me, it would be better to have an audio output than this stereo sound. It’s simply not possible to listen to music in the car and charge your phone at the same time.

IS IT WORTH SWITCHING FROM 6S to 8

I don't see any point in this. Yes, the camera is better, but otherwise it's the same phone. Well, maybe with slightly better characteristics, but at the moment this is not felt. The phones are completely identical:

The back panel is slightly different, but holding the phone in your hand you can’t even see it. If only in the mirror when taking selfies in photos. But buying a new phone because of this (for the sake of photos in the mirror from the series “look, I have 8ka” is strange, to say the least).

WHY DID I CHANGE TO 8+ AFTER A DAY?

The reason was banal: I was holding 8 in my hand, and did not understand what I had changed for what. I paid 50k, and at the same time I received exactly the same thing as what I had, only one thought saved me - I successfully drowned my 6s 2 years ago, and now it began to actually “glitch”, and the 8ka worked without interruptions. But in the end, the point in my choice to change the phone was the thought that from the very beginning (2-3 months) I wanted an 8+, so I went for it, and what happened to me at the time of purchase - I have no idea, like being put into hypnosis. That's why I sold 8ku within a day and bought 8+.

HOW TO RETURN YOUR iPhone BACK TO THE STORE

It turns out that the phone can be returned back to the store... if it THE SIM CARD WAS NOT INSERTED. As soon as you inserted the SIM card, the data was sent to the main center, and from that moment, by entering the serial number on the website, you can see the activation date of the phone. It is quite possible to return a phone to an online store, but to a regular physical store is no longer possible. This happened to me too. I managed to activate the phone, and despite the fact that all the original films were saved on it, the wires were not printed....it was no longer possible to return it to the store.

GENERAL IMPRESSION

I love Apple technology, I have been in love with it for a long time. The phone is actually very good, and by and large there was no point in upgrading to 8+. The 8+ is quite uncomfortable in the hand, unlike the 8. But personally, the large screen turned out to be more convenient for me, since my work is based on the phone.

When new iPhones appeared, for many users of Apple technology this event became a headache, because now a very serious question arose: “Is it worth changing the iPhone 7/7 PLUS to the iPhone 8/8 PLUS?”

Let's try to understand this issue in a very simple way, let's start looking at what they have in common and what's new in the latest version. We don't even need the most detailed details about the characteristics to draw the right conclusions.

What do iPhone 7/7 PLUS and iPhone 8/8 PLUS have in common?

Despite the fact that Apple radically changed the name and skipped the 7S model, in fact we still have this model, it’s just now with the number 8.

For the fourth year in a row, we are given the same iPhone 6S in a slightly different body with more features. Last year this outraged many users and now the iPhone 8 appears, which has not changed the situation.

Therefore, let's take a look at what the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 have in common:

• Touch ID. This technology is very fresh and it appeared for the first time in the iPhone 5S. In the compared models, there is a second generation Touch ID, and the speed of its operation is completely satisfactory. There are no updates in this direction, but they are not particularly needed.
• Front-camera. If you love taking selfies, then this information is for you. We got the same 7 MP with an ƒ/2.2 aperture. They may have changed something, but these changes are so minor that you won’t even notice them.
• Protection from dust and moisture. While the entire mobile market is moving to the IP68 standard, we still get the same IP67. So you still can’t swim and it’s better not to do it at all.
• RAM. Although nothing is officially known about RAM, the latest leaks from iOS 11 GM talk about the same 2 GB in the smaller version and 3 GB in the larger version. Most of all, this is true, because Apple doesn’t really like to chase the number of gigabytes.
• Battery. We go to the official Apple website and see that the battery indicators have not received any changes. The volume may be different, but thanks to the updated processor, we see the same operating time.
• 3.5mm jack. If anyone was hoping that Apple would bring back the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, then their hopes were in vain. You will still have to use wireless technologies.
• Display. If we don’t take into account the new True Tone technology, we got everything the same: Retina HD, 1334x750 and 1920x1080 resolution.

As you can see, the most basic points remain the same. Of course, I didn’t mention the dimensions and other small details, but I think they are already obvious.

What is the difference between iPhone 7/7 PLUS and iPhone 8/8 PLUS?

Of course, Apple did not leave its users without pleasant innovations. They are also quite enough, but is this enough to update?


When there was a presentation, Philipp Schiller very quickly went over the capabilities of the gadget and it was clear that they made this update purely for show.

• Glass elements. If in front we have the same gadgets, then in the back we again see glass, as was the case in the distant iPhone 4S. So we start to get nervous again when we drop the smartphone on the back cover.
• Wireless charger. The technology that was supposed to appear four years ago has finally appeared in Apple gadgets. Now charging your favorite smartphones is much more convenient.
• Fast charging. Although you will have to pay an extra $50 for a special adapter, fast charging is still available in the new models. They have always loved to make money on accessories and nothing can change here.
• Colors. This is a separate conversation, because now we have much less choice. You can buy the iPhone 8 in Space Grey, Silver or the brand new Gold. Considering the glass, it looks very impressive.
• Weight. Today, every gram counts and now the iPhone 8 weighs 148 g (which is 10 g more than the iPhone 7) and the iPhone 8 PLUS - 202 g (14 g more than the iPhone 7 PLUS). Apparently the weight increased due to the use of glass.
• Speakers. They did a great job in this area and now the stereo speakers have become 25 percent more powerful, which is good news. Playing games and watching videos is even more comfortable.
• True Tone. Now, when you change the type of lighting, the white balance will be automatically adjusted. For example, if the lamps are yellow, then the screen will have a corresponding tint.
• Camera. The same dual camera, but now something that video bloggers will greatly appreciate - the ability to shoot in 4K at 24, 30 or 60 fps, as well as slow-motion 1080p at 120 or 240 fps.
• CPU. If previously the processor was already the strongest point of iPhones, now it has become even better. Now it's A11, which has as many as 6 cores and saves even more energy.
• Bluetooth 5.0. This is a step for the future, because this standard is rarely supported. Knowing Apple, they are definitely not wrong about such things.

The list seems quite large, but if you look at it this way, not everything is as good as we would like. Let's move on to the final part, where we will deal with the solution to the main problem.

Is it worth upgrading from iPhone 7/7 PLUS to iPhone 8/8 PLUS?

I think it’s already clear that if you are reading this article, then you have an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 PLUS in your hands. Surely you are already tired of racking your brains about whether or not it’s worth buying an iPhone 8/8 PLUS.


Let's think about what will happen if, theoretically, you buy a new model: a glass body, wireless charging and a more powerful processor. That's probably all.

This is too little to convince the buyer to upgrade. When dropped, the iPhone 7 will be more intact, charging the old way is not a problem, and the processor can handle everything you can imagine.

Of course, if you have extra money, then why not. But I would already add some money and buy the iPhone X, which has a completely new design and will give you a completely new user experience.

So, in simple terms, it’s not worth upgrading. Why change something that is already relevant and has almost everything that is top-notch today.

Every year, smartphones become more and more expensive. Therefore, not every Apple user can afford to update every year. Let me remind you that this fall Apple released three models of its smartphones: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Considering the fact that I don’t think it’s reasonable to buy an iPhone X this year. I wrote a separate article about the reasons why it is better to buy an iPhone 8 instead of an iPhone X, although these reasons may seem far-fetched to some. Therefore, in this article I want to talk about whether it is worth changing your iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 to the new iPhone 8. I would like to note that I will not specifically talk about earlier models, since I think that they are definitely worth changing.

Comparison of iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 and iPhone 8. What are the differences.

Let's compare the characteristics of these three smartphones.

What is the difference between iPhone 8 and iPhone 6s?

There is a 2 year difference between these smartphones and therefore they differ quite seriously. Let's figure out what has changed over these couple of years.

1. Design.

Looking at both smartphones, you may not be able to tell them apart right away. But if you pick up the iPhone 8, you will immediately notice the difference. The fact is that the back panel of the iPhone 8 is made of glass with an olephobic coating. Due to this, the smartphone fits in the hand much better and does not slip.

2. Home button.

Last year, Apple made the Home button not physical, but touch-sensitive. So at first, pressing such a button will be quite unusual for you.

3.Moisture protection.

Perhaps another advantage of the eighth iPhone is its moisture protection according to the IP67 standard. This means you can submerge your smartphone to a depth of one meter for 30 minutes. So now you can take photos underwater. The only drawback is that the water must be fresh.

4. Camera

Perhaps the main advantage of the camera in the new iPhone is the presence of optical stabilization. This will allow you to reduce image blur caused by camera shake. iPhone 8 also has the ability to shoot 4K video at up to 60 FPS and slow-motion video at up to 1080p and 240 FPS.

5. Processor

The A11 Bionic processor installed in the iPhone 8 is much more powerful than the A9 in the iPhone 6s. I really want to add that I’m not complaining about the slow operation of the 6s, but as they say, there is no limit to perfection.

Currently, iPhone 8 is the most powerful smartphone on the market.

6. Screen.

iPhone 8 was the first smartphone to support TrueTone technology. This technology adjusts the white balance on the screen to match the color temperature around the device. Thanks to True Tone, the new iPhone's display constantly shows white light at the correct intensity and temperature. This allows the image to always look more natural, helps reduce visual strain and makes reading text more comfortable.

7. No headphone jack.

In 2016, Apple got rid of the headphone jack on its smartphones. This decision, in my opinion, is quite controversial. The main motivation for this action was the desire to make the iPhone thinner. But as practice has shown, smartphones have not become thinner because of this. I can't say for sure whether it's good or bad. On the one hand, the use of wired headphones is gradually going out of fashion, but on the other hand, you cannot do without it on long trips if there is no way to charge a Bluetooth headset.

8.Fast and wireless charging function.

Despite the fact that many manufacturers have been using wireless charging in their smartphones for a long time, Apple only decided to use it this year. With the fast charging feature, you can charge your iPhone 8 up to 50% in 30 minutes. There is really not a big minus. The smartphone still comes with an old charger that does not allow fast charging. You'll also have to buy a separate wireless charging device.

Is it worth upgrading from iPhone 6s to iPhone 8?

And so let's sum it up. The iPhone 8 has enough new features to replace your already old iPhone 6s. Of course, provided that you have money for a new smartphone, which, although it costs less than a dozen, is also not very cheap.

What is the difference between iPhone 8 and iPhone 7?

Now, if the eight from the six is ​​quite strong, then there are not many differences from the seven. The iPhone 7 has the same Home button, is also waterproof, and also does not have a headphone jack. Although the processor is weaker than in the new smartphone, the difference with the A11 Bionic is not so noticeable.

Perhaps the key differences between the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 7 are the improved camera and possibly wireless charging.

Is it worth upgrading from iPhone 7 to iPhone 8?

If in the case of the iPhone 6s I recommended changing to a new iPhone, then in the case of the seven everything is much more complicated. If you think about it, the iPhone 8 is not much different from its predecessor. Therefore, I personally would not pay that kind of money for wireless charging and a small camera upgrade. But if you have enough money for a new iPhone 8, but you don’t want to buy a ten, then upgrading will not be bad.

How much memory should I buy iPhone 8 with?

One of the disadvantages of the iPhone 8 is that Apple provided only 2 modifications of the smartphone. iPhone 8 can be purchased with 64 GB of internal memory or with 256 GB. On the one hand, you will think that 256 GB is too much for you, but on the other hand, 64 GB may not be enough. Still, 4K videos take up a lot of space. In this regard, a dilemma arises: buy a cheap iPhone with less memory and constantly struggle with the need to upload photos and videos to a computer or any cloud storage, or buy a more expensive model with 256 GB. It’s up to you to decide what is better for you, comfort or price.

What color should I buy iPhone 8 in?

As for color options, the situation here is certainly better than with the memory option, but the choice is also not great. Currently, the iPhone 8 is sold in three color versions: Space Gray, Silver and Gold. After watching all the versions live, I came to the conclusion that the black model in this one looks completely gray and faded. Personally, I really liked the gold model. It is also used in, which you have probably come across on YouTube or TV. Although the silver version of the iPhone also looks quite interesting. But it’s difficult to advise anything here, since everyone’s taste is different. Maybe even someone will appreciate the black version.

Is it worth buying the Plus version?

For 3 years now, Apple has been releasing its models in two versions, regular and, so to speak, in a larger format. The iPhone 8 has a 4.7-inch screen diagonal, while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5-inch screen. In addition, the screen resolution of the Plus version is 1920x1080 versus 1334x750 in the regular one. But the differences don't end there. The iPhone 8 Plus has a so-called portrait shooting mode. in which the background in photographs is blurred. This actually looks amazing.

But let’s return to the question of whether this version of the smartphone is worth buying. Despite all the features of the larger version, this smartphone is not convenient for everyone to hold in their hands. Still, the 5.5-inch screen makes itself felt. Therefore, if you are interested in this smartphone, first go to any store, hold the smartphone in your hands and check whether it is convenient for you to use.

I’ll have to immediately make a reservation that I not only skipped a generation, but also switched from a smartphone to a phablet - from the “regular” iPhone 6s to the “large” iPhone 8 Plus. As the story progresses, I will clarify which of the impressions are relevant only for “Plus”.

Non-clickable Home button - good

I've seen many attempts to discreetly replace mechanical buttons with touch buttons. The first one I remember was the Motorola ROKR E8, and it was... naive. More precisely, it is designed for a very naive person who will believe that this “bzzz” is his button that was actually pressed.

The mistake of all the “simulators” was, it seems to me, the use of a vibration motor. In phones it is a very primitive device: a metal cylinder on an axis with a sector cut out of it. The balance is deliberately disturbed, and when rotated, this log causes the entire body to rattle coarsely. The effect is so far from the “clicks” of mechanical buttons that even for the on-screen keyboard on Android smartphones, I invariably turn it off.

Back to the iPhone 8! It contains the Taptic Engine “vibration” of a completely different operating principle; it produces small and extremely precisely timed tremors, and is also used when pressing Home. Looks like a click, looks like it! It’s a little unusual, but I stopped noticing the substitution almost immediately. There is a minus - it cannot be used with gloves. However, I don't wear gloves.

A little bit faster

Yes, exactly “a little”. The new A11 Bionic processor is 25% faster than the previous A10, which, in turn, is 70% faster than the A9 found in the iPhone 6s. That is, in total I should have received a twofold increase in speed, but the nonsense is that even my two-year-old smartphone did not slow down. Even on iOS 11. Even after the release of two new models. They say that if you don’t believe in a conspiracy theory, the conspirators won’t touch you.

In general, if the iPhone 8 Plus is faster than the old one, then I, being such a slowdown, almost don’t notice it, because it was good before. Perhaps I would have noticed in games, but I play games on big holidays, and even there the iPhones don’t slow down, as long as the developers have the opportunity to adjust the graphics to the performance of a particular device, unlike the Android zoo.

On the iPhone 6s, I was a little annoyed that minimized apps closed very quickly. I switched from some Yandex.Metro to Safari, and when I return, it starts from scratch. I was guilty of RAM, it was 2 gigabytes in the 6s, but modern software is voluminous. Who cares about saving kilo mega gigabytes these days?

I thought the 8 Plus, which has 3GB, would be better. But there seems to be no change: minimized programs still often crash. Moreover, some are closed, while others are deployed in the same state, and there is no dependence on the massiveness of the application. Well, what gigabytes of data do you need to keep in the RAM of a metro card? It seems that the problem is in the software itself, and not in the available memory.

The glass at the back is scary

I really liked the metal body of the iPhone 6s. Even after two years of carrying it in my pocket without a case, the phone still looks great. Sometimes I fell and got a small dent, but it only became more beautiful.

The Eights have glass on the back. Durable glass, they say. But “of course, I won’t check this.” Not because I believe it or not, but because if it does break, the repair will cost an average of ten thousand rubles. That's twice the cost of replacing the 6s screen.

Again, I don't know how durable the glass back panel is. And she looks great, no doubt about it. But I immediately hid the device in the Apple case and sleep peacefully.

Camera - space

I don't really like selfies (ugly), but yes, the front camera of the iPhone 8 Plus takes better pictures than the iPhone 6s. Two megapixels have been added (now 7 megapixels), color rendition has become better, the picture is richer. But it's not for me.

But the main camera, and even a dual one, is a completely different matter. In night photographs you can now not only see something, but actually see everything. Daytime photos also look better, and the camera itself seems to work faster.

But. But! The main thing is portrait mode. It's only available on the Plus model, and it's absolutely stellar. The phone takes two pictures - from two cameras, slightly spaced apart in space, and with the help of a magical neural network, it highlights the main character in them, and beautifully blurs everything behind him. It works almost without flaws - sometimes it can tear off a piece of your ear - and it’s definitely better than, for example, the Huawei P10, which I used to always carry with me just for the sake of good photos. Moreover, such little things are absolutely not noticeable on Instagram. In general, portrait mode is intended for photographing people, but the iPhone will recognize a cat (if it’s not too fluffy), a mug of coffee, and a bottle of vodka and will leave it in focus, while the rest will be blurred out.

This feature alone made the “Seven” lick its lips, and in the “Eight” the portrait mode was upgraded even more: in it you can now adjust the lighting of the face and simulate studio light, including shooting in the dark under a bright source.

To summarize: it’s worth jumping to the new generation just because of the camera alone.

Two speakers - it turns out that this is important

Listening to music on your smartphone without headphones is in bad taste, it pisses everyone off. Ugh be like that. But you can watch a new episode of “VDudya” before going to bed, and doing it with a mobile phone that has two speakers rather than one turned out to be more pleasant. Maybe this will lose its meaning again due to the advent of the era of vertical video, but I was brought up in the tradition of horizontal, excuse me, orientation. It has become louder, and you no longer have to make a shell with your hand at the end with the speaker (am I not the only one?) so that speech can be heard.

No minijack - you can live

There is no going back, all the big guys are abandoning the headphone jack. A year ago, Google ridiculed Apple for this move, and this year it joined the movement. Of course, there will be manufacturers who will keep the minijack and present it as a unique feature for “those who do not agree to mindlessly follow the whims of marketers,” but, in my opinion, this hole in the body is not worth the fight.

I listen to music on wireless Plantronics Backbeat Pro. The iPhone 8 Plus kit includes regular plugs with a Lightning connector and an adapter for a minijack. There is only one drawback: you cannot charge your phone and listen to music over the wire at the same time (unless you buy a special adapter). A terrible limitation, perhaps. Don't know. I've never done that before.

Wireless charging - now I always go out with a charged phone

The iPhone 8 Plus changed my relationship with outlets in two ways. Firstly, the battery in the Plus is noticeably larger. Yes, the screen is larger, but in general phablets last longer. Secondly, I decided that now was definitely the time, and went for wireless charging. It turns out that they have dropped significantly in price. For 800 rubles I got a product from no matter what local brand, obviously produced by unknown Chinese. And this is the price of Russian retail, and not Aliexpress. Works great. There’s nothing to describe here: you put the phone down and it charges. Even in a case.

Slower than by wire, but since in the hustle and bustle of work it’s easier to throw the phone on a plastic round piece than to plug in a cord, my iPhone 8 Plus is in a fully or almost fully charged state almost all day.

Apple does not yet sell wireless charging of its own design, but the Qi (“chi”) standard has already become mainstream, and there are plenty of options on the market. There are also more expensive ones, from A-brands (charge your iPhone on a Samsung charger, the world needs more absurdity), there are also cheaper ones, like mine. And IKEA, by the way, has been selling furniture with Qi platforms for two years now.

But let the reader not repeat my mistake and buy a wireless charger with illumination. The Chinese definitely came to Earth from some other planet. Otherwise, why would they build into a device that should lie on the bedside table and charge the phone all night long, two LEDs as bright as a supernova explosion?

Tactile feedback is now part of the interface

The aforementioned super-precise “vibration” Taptic Engine appeared in the iPhone 6s, but for some reason in the iPhone 8 Plus it can do a little more. In the old model, Taptik was responsible for tactile feedback when pressing hard on the screen for the 3D Touch feature. In English, Apple calls this “pop,” that is, “chock.” Well, how to burst bubble wrap.

And the iPhone 8 Plus sometimes shakes subtly in many programs. For example, on Instagram you can select the degree of filter overlay, and when you drag the slider to 100%, you feel This.

The feature works both in built-in applications and in third-party ones, since it has clearly become part of those ready-made elements that Apple made for developers and from which, like bricks, they put together application interfaces.

This is a small thing, but it creates a completely new feeling that the lists and sliders on the screen are material.

Should I take it?

If you are reading this opus, and not one of the reviews “Why is the new iPhone better than the previous one” (don’t think so, we will have one too), then you are probably wondering whether it’s time to change your iPhone, or is it better to wait another year.

If the iPhone X hadn't been looming on the horizon, I would have said "it's time!" And it’s better to upgrade immediately to Plus, because the camera has portrait mode and because the battery is larger. But this option is not suitable for everyone - simply because of the physical size of the phablet.

In general, there is no need to wait another year. If you want to play it safe, wait another two weeks before iPhone X sales and reviews begin. But remember that X is 22 thousand rubles more expensive than 8 Plus.