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Stevenson Villager

Apple adds a new iPhone to the lineup

Apple adds a new iPhone to the lineup

Apple has done it again. At the Apple conference on Sept. 12, 2017, the company announced the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus, the iPhone X, the Apple Watch Series 3, and the newest Apple software, iOS11. On Sept. 22, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus hit store shelves.

The iPhone 8 Plus offers new features that produce higher quality photographs. (Photo by Sara Miller)

For many users, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus may not seem as intriguing as the iPhone 7, but the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have some small improvements, which might be worth the purchase.

Unlike the previous aluminum phone designs, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus are glass, a throwback to the iPhone 4 design. The phones are reported to have improved the quality and function of previous iPhone models, with reviews comparing these upgrades to the upgrades made from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone 6S.  This has caused some users to feel that the new phones would better be named as “iPhone 7S.”

Although the the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus come in five colors, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus only come in three colors:  silver, space grey, and gold.

The new phones also offer higher options for storage and a feature called the “True Tone” display, which adjusts the white balance of light to fit with the natural lighting of the environment to help reduce eyestrain and make the display feel more natural. Although the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are the same size as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, they actually weigh a few ounces more.

The biggest difference between the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8 Plus is the camera.  The iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8 Plus provide an amazing “portrait mode.”  This mode gives the user a high-quality professional photo.  While the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8 Plus both offer the “portrait mode,” only the iPhone 8 Plus has portrait lighting.  Portrait lighting provides the user with studio lighting effects without being in a professional photography studio.  There are five portrait lighting effects including natural light, studio light, contour light, stage light, and stage light mono.

The second biggest difference is the wireless charging capabilities that will be available Nov. 3, 2017. Although the wireless charging is a major change with these two models, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus still offer the Lighting charger port if the user does not wish to purchase the new wireless charging pad when it is released.

Ultimately, there are not many differences between the iPhones 7 and 7 Plus and the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. However, if an individual is in need of an upgrade, but does not want to wait for the iPhone X, or does not see the need for some of the advanced features offered by the iPhone X, then the iPhone 8 or the iPhone 8 Plus are considered excellent options.

Once the iPhone X is released, the other models will be phased out, and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will replace the iPhones 7 and 7 Plus models.  Currently the iPhone X is ready for pre-order.  However, it will not be in stores until Nov. 3 or later.  It would be wise to review the Apple website where each model can be carefully compared and an iPhone can be chosen to meet the user’s specific needs.

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Apple adds a new iPhone to the lineup