Apple Celebrates Launch of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 3

As it traditionally does on product launch days, Apple today has celebrated the launch of the new iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 3 by sharing a few images of customers around the world buying and trying out the devices for the first time.

The new iPhone and Apple Watch models went on sale (or will soon go on sale) at 8 a.m. local time around the world today, and Apple posted pictures of customers purchasing the devices at Apple Stores in London, Singapore, Taipei, and Sydney.

iphone8 launch orchardroad singapore entrance

Apple Orchard Road, Singapore

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are Apple's latest smartphones, with a glass back design, inductive wireless charging, Retina HD displays, faster A11 Bionic chips, and advanced augmented reality capabilities.

Although the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus launched first in countries like New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and China, a Reuters report last night referenced "a bleak turnout" for the smartphones. Fewer than 30 people were said to have lined up outside of the Sydney Apple Store on George Street, in comparison to the hundreds who typically show up for an iPhone launch. Most Apple customers are likely waiting for the iPhone X, coming November 3.

iphone8 launch taipei 2017 instore

Apple Taipei 101

Since the devices launched in other countries, the first sets of unboxing, speed test, and durability videos have been posted online. The iPhone 8 is said to be as resistant to scratches as the iPhone 7, but it emerged from a bend test with higher marks than the previous generation iPhone models.

watchs3 launch regentstreet london 2017 customer employees

Apple Regent Street, London

For the Apple Watch Series 3 Apple has made improvements to the wearable's health and fitness metrics, improving heart rate sensing and enhancing a few user interface elements in watchOS 4 to make it easier to sync to gym equipment and be warned of an elevated heart rate. Series 3 models also include faster dual-core processors and LTE connections in cellular models, letting users stream Apple Music, send texts, and more without needing their iPhone nearby.

watchs3 launch georgestreet sydney 2017 outside greyband

Apple Sydney

Apple also launched the Apple TV 4K today, which introduces the ability to view 4K HDR content on Apple's set-top box. The company confirmed yesterday that the new 4K content on iTunes is limited to streaming only, and can't be downloaded directly to the Apple TV to view offline, so only HD quality versions of films and below can be downloaded.

For more information on all of the new Apple products launching today, be sure to check out our roundups for each of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
Apple TV Plus Feature 2 Magenta and Blue

Apple TV+ Available at Significantly Lower Price Until Next Week

Friday April 18, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
Apple TV+ is currently available at a much lower price than usual, but time is running out if you want to take advantage of the offer. In the U.S., new and qualified returning customers can subscribe to Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month, for three months. Afterwards, regular pricing of $9.99 per month applies. The offer is available in the Apple TV app, and at tv.apple.com, through April...

Top Rated Comments

ck2875 Avatar
99 months ago
It's worth ordering online just to avoid giving everyone high-fives.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Strelok Avatar
99 months ago
It's worth ordering online just to avoid giving everyone high-fives.
It’s worth ordering just to avoid people.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
99 months ago
It's worth ordering online just to avoid giving everyone high-fives.
Oh yes. Definitely.
I find it really odd how buying something is seen as an achievement worthy of celebration.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NIKKG Avatar
99 months ago
Yeah, lets celebrate a 4 year old phone design. This is just sad. And the iPhone X isn't going to sell as well as the tech journalist think it is either. $1000 bucks for a phone with no touch-id and that ugly devil horns. 2017 isn't going to be a good year for Apple...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IUBall22 Avatar
99 months ago
Yawn. Wake me up when the X is available.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Radon87000 Avatar
99 months ago
I want my iPhone X. The wait is unbearable!!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)