iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition comes in a stunning red glass enclosure, matching aluminum band and sleek black front.
All (PRODUCT)RED Purchases Help Provide Testing, Counseling and Treatment for Tens of Millions of People Living with HIV/AIDS
Cupertino, California â Apple today announced iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition, the new generation of iPhone in a stunning red finish. Both phones sport a beautiful glass enclosure, now in red, with a matching aluminum band and a sleek black front. The special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone will be available to order online in select countries and regions tomorrow and in stores beginning Friday, April 13.
Apple customers can purchase iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus in a beautiful red and black finish while contributing to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
Apple also introduced a new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone X Leather Folio, which will be available beginning tomorrow. Crafted from specially tanned and finished European leather for a luxurious look and feel, the new folio joins other (PRODUCT)RED devices and accessories available for customers to purchase. A portion of proceeds for all (PRODUCT)RED purchases go directly to Global Fund HIV/AIDS grants that provide testing, counseling, treatment and prevention programs with a specific focus on eliminating transmission of the virus from mothers to their babies. Since partnering with (RED) in 2006, Apple has donated more than $160 million to the Global Fund, serving as the organizationâs largest corporate donor.
Apple also introduced a new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone X Leather Folio, available beginning tomorrow.
âThis special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone features a stunning red and black color combination and also offers customers the opportunity to make an impact in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS,â said Greg Joswiak, Appleâs vice president of Product Marketing. âiPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus improve on everything we love about iPhone, including Retina HD displays that are more beautiful than ever, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone with the A11 Bionic and more advanced cameras for unbelievable photos and videos. We are proud to support (RED) with this bold new iPhone and hope customers think it is as special as we do.â
The special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone will be available to order online in select countries and regions tomorrow and in stores beginning Friday, April 13.
âTodayâs announcement is further evidence of Appleâs leadership in and commitment to the AIDS fight since the beginning of (RED) in 2006,â said Deborah Dugan, (RED)âs CEO. âThe more than $160 million Apple has donated in the last 11 years today equates to more than 800 million days of lifesaving ARV medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies. Weâre honored that Apple has dedicated its resources to our purpose, and canât wait to see customers bring our mission to life through the purchase of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition.â
Tema General Hospital in Ghana receives funding from a (RED) supported Global Fund grant. Photo courtesy of Adam Sjoberg.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a new generation of iPhone featuring a glass and aluminum design made with the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, Retina HD display, A11 Bionic chip and are designed for the ultimate augmented reality experience. The worldâs most popular camera is even better and wireless charging brings a powerful capability to iPhone. iPhone 8 Plus features dual 12-megapixel cameras and introduces Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, bringing dramatic studio lighting effects to iPhone, allowing customers to capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth of field effect in five different lighting styles.
Pricing and Availability
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition will be available in 64GB and 256GB models starting at an Apple retail price of $699 (US) from apple.com, the Apple Store app and Apple Stores, and is also available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary). The special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone joins iPhone 8 finishes in space gray, silver and gold.
Both special edition models are available to order beginning Tuesday, April 10 after 5:30 a.m. PDT, and start delivering to customers and arriving in stores in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, the UKand US on Friday, April 13. Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE and other countries and regions will follow later in April, with Chile, Colombia, India, Israel, Turkey and other countries and regions following in May.
The new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone X Leather Folio will be available from apple.com, the Apple Store app and Apple Stores for $99 (US) beginning tomorrow, and joins other (PRODUCT)RED products including Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones, Beats Pill+ Portable Speaker and accessories for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.Â
Through Appleâs iPhone Upgrade Program, customers in the US can get the special edition iPhone, with the protection of AppleCare+, choose their carrier and have the opportunity to upgrade to a new iPhone every year. The iPhone Upgrade Program is available at apple.com, the Apple Store app and Apple Stores in the US with monthly payments starting at $34.50 (US) for the iPhone 8 64GB model.
Every customer who buys iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup in-store or online to help them customize their iPhone by setting up email, showing them new apps from the App Store and more.1
Anyone who wants to start with the basics or go further with iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iOS 11 can sign up for free Today at Apple sessions at apple.com/today.
We help you determine which iPhone model is best for you.
Apple sells eight different models of the iPhone, ranging from the iPhone SE all the way up to the most premium iPhone X.
As CNBC’s gadget reviewer, I’m frequently asked: “Todd, which iPhone should I buy?” It’s a tough question to answer, since it really depends on how much you want to spend and what you expect out of your iPhone.
Do you need the very best? Do you prefer smaller screens? Don’t worry, I got you covered. Here’s how to decide which iPhone is best for you, starting from the cheapest up to the most grand.
The iPhone SE is starting to show its age, and rumors suggest Apple will refresh it in the coming months. I recommend most people hold off on buying it unless you reallydon’t care about having an outdated smartphone. It’s compelling for folks who like small screens, since it has a 4-inch display that’s the smallest Apple offers. It’s also the most affordable, starting at $349.
These are still decent iPhones and are best for anyone who wants an iPhone and access to iMessage but doesn’t want to spend too much. You get a choice between the 4.7-inch model, which starts at $449, and the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus that starts at $549. Those are great prices for phones that still offer excellent cameras and features, but which are starting to show their age, but most folks should consider one step up.
These are perfect mid-range iPhones for most people. In fact, anyone who owns an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus probably doesn’t need to upgrade to the newer iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus just yet — the features are relatively similar. You should buy them if you can spend a bit more than the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, since they’re newer and will be updated longer than those phones. Plus, the iPhone 7 starts at the same price as the iPhone 6s Plus ($549) while the iPhone 7 Plus starts at $669. Want most of the latest features without splurging? These are for you.
Apple launched three new phones this year, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus don’t have the fancy new colorful OLED screen on the iPhone X, or face recognition, but they offer the same processor and wireless charging found in the iPhone X. These phones are best for folks who like Apple’s older design language but still want most of the latest parts and who don’t care for the iPhone X. iPhone 8 Plus owners should also expect some of the best battery life of any iPhone out there, even better than the iPhone X. They’re priced at a premium, starting at $699 for the iPhone 8 and $799 for the iPhone 8 Plus, but are still at least $200 cheaper than the top-of-the-line iPhone.
That brings us to the iPhone X. This is for the folks who want it all and who don’t flinch at the $999 starting price. You’ll get a brand new OLED display that runs edge-to-edge, Apple’s new Face ID recognition technology that replaces the home button and fingerprint reader, the best cameras Apple has ever crammed into a smartphone (better on the front and back), wireless charging, Apple’s fun new animoji and a phone that’ll turn heads. It’s my current favorite smartphone, though I miss the battery life of the iPhone 8 Plus I also purchased. If that’s a concern, maybe consider the 8 Plus instead.
The Apple iPhone 8 Plus has a main camera system truly worthy of a flagship phone. Similar to the iPhone 7 Plus, it features two cameras â a wide-angle 12MP main camera, and a 12MP telephoto camera with a slower lens for zooming in on subjects and for special effects such as Portrait mode. Comparing the camera datasheets of the older iPhone 7 Plus and the new iPhone 8 Plus make the two look almost identical; however, under-the-hood upgrades have given the 8 Plus an image quality and camera performance boost in almost every one of our tested categories.
Key camera specifications:
12MP main (wide-angle) camera with BSI sensor, f/1.8 lens
12MP telephoto camera, f/2.8 lens
Optical zoom, with digital zoom up to 10x
Portrait mode
Portrait Lighting (beta)
Optical image stabilization (main camera only)
Quad-LED True Tone flash with Slow sync
Autofocus with focus pixels
Wide-gamut color capture
Body and face detection
AutoHDR
Test summary
The Apple iPhone 8 Plus is the best-performing mobile device camera we have ever tested. Its overall DxOMark Mobile score of 94 sets a new record, beating out the 90 points for both the Google Pixel and the HTC U11, as well as the 92 that its sibling iPhone 8 just scored. Its Photo score of 96 is also a new record, blowing past the Pixelâs 90. For Video, its score of 89 is among our highest, but tied with the HTC U11 and slightly below the Pixelâs 91. Of course, the Pixel is nearly a year old now, so it makes sense that Appleâs new flagship is breaking new ground.
Bright light
Images captured outdoors with the iPhone 8 Plus are generally stunning, with excellent detail preservation, accurate color, and impressive dynamic range. The iPhone 8 Plus builds on the excellent performance of the iPhone 7 family with even better results in bright light. In particular, it has improved exposure calculation, and excellent ability to capture HDR (High Dynamic Range) scenes.
This scene has proved challenging to many of the smartphones we have tested, but the 8 Plus handles it like a champ. If you didnât know that the image came from a phone, it would it would be very hard to tell.
This scene has proved challenging to many of the smartphones we have tested, but the 8 Plus handles it like a champ. If you didnât know that the image came from a phone, it would it would be very hard to tell.
iPhone 8 version.
iPhone 8 Plus version.
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Google Pixel version.
iPhone 7 Plus version.
Low light and Flash
Low light: Exposures are generally accurate, although there can be some underexposure in very low light. The 8 Plusâs strong performance in low light and with flash, combined with its excellent ability to recognize and properly expose faces, make it a natural for anyone wanting to easily create memories of their indoor events.
Even in tricky mixed-lighting situations, the iPhone 8 Plus does an excellent job of providing an accurate and detailed rendering of indoor scenes.
Flash: Images look good overall, with accurate exposure and white balance; however, there can be a a loss of detail and excessive noise.
Zoom and Bokeh
While the iPhone 8 Plus camera is amazing overall, it is in our new test categories of Zoom and Bokeh where it really stands out. While the technical specifications for the second camera that help make these features possible are very similar to the specs for the second camera on the iPhone 7 Plus on paper, upgrades to the image processing software have raised the 8 Plusâs performance to a new level. Especially important for those looking to capture portraits with their phones, or to create artistic effects in macro and other closeup shots, zoom and bokeh used to require standalone cameras. But phones like the 8 Plus are changing that.
Zoom: The dedicated telephoto camera on the 8 Plus gives it a large advantage over most traditional single-camera designs when it comes to zoom. At 51, it has the highest Zoom sub-score of any mobile device we have measured â a full 5 points better than its predecessor, the iPhone 7 Plus. Here you can see that at 2x (full-frame equivalent of about 56mm), the iPhone 8 Plus does an excellent job of both framing and detail preservation (click on individual images to get a full-size version for easier comparison):
iPhone 8 version
iPhone 8 Plus version.
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Google Pixel version of the image.
iPhone 7 Plus version of the image.
Bokeh: Overall, the 8 Plus is the highest-performing phone weâve tested when it comes to bokeh. Despite the relatively small changes in the actual camera specs, additional development and processing power allow it to beat out the 7 Plus by 5 points, putting it even further ahead of the Google Pixel, with a score of 55 compared to 30.
You can see the improved depth effect on the iPhone 8 Plus compared to the older model, showing that the dual-camera system now does a better job of blurring the foreground like a true optical blur, instead of blurring only the background. The images below also show how the second camera of the 8 Plus provides a much more artistic rendering of the image than the single camera on the iPhone 8 (click on individual images to get a full-size version for easier comparison):
iPhone 8 version.
iPhone 8 Plus version.
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Google Pixel version of the image.
iPhone 7 Plus version of the image.
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Video
Apple continues to up its game on Video. With a score of 89, the 8 Plus has the best video quality of any Apple device, starting with the best exposure calculation. In particular, exposure is more stable while panning or walking than on previous iPhones. Its HDR capabilities are also very good, but highlights are sometimes blown out. There is still room for improvement, as the iPhone 8 Plusâs Video score of 89 still only ties the HTC U11 and is still behind the Google Pixelâs 91 points. This said, the 8 Plus camera does an excellent job of face tracking when shooting video in bright light.
Photo scores explained
Our Overall Photo Score is a composite of a number of category sub-scores. Here we detail how the 8 Plus performed in each of those categories.
Exposure and Contrast (89)
The 8 Plus does an excellent job of accurately calculating exposure, improving on the performance of the iPhone 7 family. Its ability to represent high-contrast scenes is also improved, probably at least in part due to additional processing power and improved software for combining multiple frames into a single image. Appleâs AutoHDR technology is some of the best on the market for rendering high-dynamic-range scenes. The 8 Plus also does an unusually good job at recognizing and properly exposing faces in an image.
This HDR scene tests the boundaries of what a mobile device camera can capture. The 8 Plus does an excellent job of keeping the highlights visible while still showing detail in the shaded foliage in the foreground.
Color (78)
Color is pleasing both outside and indoors. White balance is also quite good. The 8 Plus improves slightly over the iPhone 8 in its color performance by completely avoiding visible color shading, even in low-light conditions.
The iPhone 8 Plus accurately renders pleasingly colorful outdoor scenes like this one.
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Color saturation in iPhone 8 Plus images remains very good, even under low-light conditions. However, in low light and in typical indoor (tungsten) light, 8 Plus images pick up a noticeable color cast that you can see in this chart of test sample patches:
Using the reference patch on the far right, notice that the light gray patch nearly turns peach under very low-light conditions (left-most âHâ column, luminosity similar to candlelight).
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iPhone 8 Plus version, showing a slight yellow cast
Google Pixel version
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Autofocus (74)
Although the 8 Plus doesnât always focus quickly, once it focuses, it is remarkably accurate. In both our long- and short-delay tests, the 8 Plus was able to repeatably capture an in-focus scene. The sometimes longer delay â which occurred periodically in both bright and low light â can mean that users miss the shot they intended.
Even in bright light, the 8 Plusâs  autofocus sometimes hesitated, which can mean missing the shot you want.
Similarly, in our fast trigger tests, the 8 Plus didnât always refocus right away. However, once the 8 Plus focused, it was on the money. Given a longer interval, the camera focused accurately and quickly every time.
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Detail (64)
The 8 Plus does an excellent job of capturing detail under a wide variety of lighting conditions, especially when there is no motion in the scene. That makes it especially good for landscape images. There is a noticeable loss of detail when there is motion, especially in low-light â as you can see in this chart of detail preservation versus light level:
(Our Family score reflects scenes with moving objects, simulating photographing people at events, while the Landscape line is for scenes without subject motion.)
It is easy to forget how far smartphone cameras have come in just a few years. These tight crops of an area in our standard natural test scene demonstrate how much more detail the iPhone 8 Plus captures than previous generations of iPhones:
The images were all taken under very-low light (5 Lux) handheld conditions, showing the improvement in detail preservation and noise suppression in successive iPhone models.
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Noise (68)
Similar to its detail score, the 8 Plus features a very low level of noise when capturing static scenes, outperforming every other phone in our database. Even the darkest areas in HDR scenes have very low levels of noise, and blue skies are almost without noise. There is some slight luminance noise indoors and in very low light, but well within acceptable limits. In this indoor test target scene, for example, the 8 Plus is a little further off in exposure than the Google Pixel, but has lower noise:
In very low light, the Pixel does a slightly better job of properly exposing the image (only a small cropped area shown here), but has visible color noise compared to the iPhone 8 Plus (iPhone 8 Plus image crops are on the top row, Google Pixel on the bottom).
This next comparison image is another that shows how quickly smartphone camera technology is advancing. This image was shot with the iPhone 7 Plus and the 8 Plus, both in Portrait mode. The newer model does a much better job of suppressing noise, especially on the modelâs face:
iPhone 7 Plus version of the image.
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iPhone 8 Plus version, showing better detail and lower noise; note, however, the slight bokeh artifact visible around the hair.
Artifacts (73)
The 8 Plus, like most iPhone models weâve tested, has very few artifacts in its images, achieving an excellent artifact sub-score as a result. Interestingly, the iPhone 8 outscores the 8 Plus in this area. Slight flare in harsh light and moirĂŠ when repeating patterns are present reduced its score somewhat. Some visible ghosting can also occur.
Flash (84)
Flash-only photos with the iPhone 8 Plus feature accurate white balance and good color rendering. With both flash and flash combined with ambient light, there is low noise and good detail preservation. There can be a slight yellow cast when flash is mixed with a low level of ambient light, and exposure and white balance can vary from shot to shot in a sequence.
This portrait, lit with only flash, shows a slight yellow cast.
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Zoom (51)
The iPhone 8 Plus sets a new standard for zoom performance in a smartphone, a tribute to its dual camera design, and the image processing improvements Apple has made since the introduction of the 7 Plus. There is still some room for improvement: when shooting several images in a row using zoom, some (but not all) images show artifacts.
Even with the 8 Plusâs stunning Zoom and Portrait mode performance, photographers still need to watch out for possible side effects. For example, these images show that subject motion can detract from an otherwise excellent portrait:
This Portrait mode image is sharp and also blurs the background to help make the subject pop.
However, the same scene with the subject waving his hand shows that the 8 Plus hasnât addressed the resulting motion blur.
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Bokeh (55)
The bokeh effect on the 8 Plus is remarkably reliable, as the 8 Plus is not fooled nearly as often as other smartphone cameras when it makes estimations of depth, even compared to competitors with similar dual-camera systems.
In low light, the iPhone 8 Plus does a much better job of rendering a bokeh effect than the Google Pixel, although at the cost of some noise. Further, the Pixel version of the image has strong artifacts (click on individual images to get a full-size version for easier comparison):
iPhone 8 version.
iPhone 8 Plus version.
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Google Pixel version of the image.
iPhone 7 Plus version of the image.
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Key to the 8 Plusâs excellent Bokeh score is very good depth estimation and facial recognition. These technologies help ensure that blurs are created naturally and effectively. There is room for improvement, though â in particular, when the subject touches the edges of the frame, the camera can mistake portions of the subject for part of the background, and ends up blurring those portions accordingly.
This type of artifact is visible in the portrait in this review, in which some of the subjectâs hair is blurred â an unfortunate and sometimes unpleasant effect on an important part of the portrait.
Video scores explained
The Apple iPhone 8 Plus achieves a total Video score of 89. As with the photo scores, this is calculated from the sub-scores it achieves in a number of categories of tests that help define its overall video capabilities, specifically: Exposure and Contrast (81), Color (87), Autofocus (84), Texture (50), Noise (68), Artifacts (81), and Stabilization (91). Of particular note, stabilization is excellent, color rendering is very accurate, and exposure is greatly improved over previous models. Exceptionally good face tracking also aids in accurate subject exposure. Video suffers from some judder, and a small amount of frame-rate inaccuracy.
One thing the iPhone 8 Plusâs video lacks somewhat is good exposure in low light. As light falls off, the 8 Plus tends to underexpose, as you can see from this chart:
Ideally, the gray patch should expose to about 50. The 8 Plus comes close in bright light, but at low-light levels, it chooses a very dark exposure.
Conclusion: The best smartphone camera weâve ever tested
Overall, the Apple iPhone 8 Plus is an excellent choice for the needs of nearly every smartphone photographer. It features outstanding image quality, zoom for those needing to get closer to their subjects, and an industry-leading Portrait mode for artistic efforts. It is at the top of our scoring charts in nearly every category â and in particular, its advanced software allows it to do an amazing job of capturing high-dynamic range scenes and images in which it can recognize faces.
We look forward to testing the iPhone X and comparing it against the iPhone 8 Plus, as the Xâs wider aperture and its OIS on both cameras should place it on the cutting edge of zoom and portrait performance â enhancing the iPhone shooting experience for memory makers and image lovers even more.Â
A note about image formats for this review: The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus record photographs in the DCI-P3 colorspace, which their displays also use. DCI-P3 is newer and larger than the sRGB color space that most devices use and most web browsers assume. So to ensure that the images we used in the review display properly on a wide variety of browsers and devices, we converted the originals from DCI-P3 to sRGB using Photoshop (which is why the published test photos show Photoshop as the creator). This can slightly reduce the richness of color in some cases from what you would see when viewing the original images on a DCI-P3-calibrated display with appropriate software. We also captured the original images using the new HEIF (High-Efficiency Image Format), but then converted them to very high-quality JPEGs for viewing in standard browsers and image editing software. (HEIF is very similar to JPEG, but provides better compression for similar image quality, so the conversion makes the sample image file sizes larger than they were when shot.) Please note, however, that unlike our test images, some of the comparison photos used in this review were shot in JPEG and used as-is for illustrative purposes, and were not used to compute scores.
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