Hands-On With Apple's New iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Hands-On With Apple's New iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

It's officially iPhone launch day, and MacRumors videographer Matt stopped by the Palo Alto Apple Store this morning to pick up some new products to test out. After running into Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams, who were also hanging around the store, Matt walked away with a Space Gray iPhone 8 and a Gold iPhone 8 Plus.

Matt went hands-on with both products to give MacRumors readers still on the fence about purchasing a chance to see them up close.


Apple's Gold iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are using a new shade of the color that's almost a meld of last year's Gold and Rose Gold shades. It's a rosier color with more red in it than past iPhone models, and it looks great paired with the glass body. The Space Gray is a darker shade that's almost similar to the Matte Black of the iPhone 7, and it too looks great with that shiny glass finish.

Because of the glass body, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus are heavier than past iPhones, but at the same time, easier to hold, both due to small thickness increases and the grip of the glass itself.

With the new speaker enhancements, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are loud, and the True Tone display looks different, but it's not a major change over previous-generation devices.

Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are available for purchase starting today online and in Apple retail stores around the world. The iPhone 8 starts at $699, while the iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Black Titanium

New Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 Features Revealed

Sunday August 30, 2026 7:54 am PDT by
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today further outlined what to expect from the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 set to be unveiled on September 9. While it was initially rumored that Touch ID may be coming to the Apple Watch this year, Gurman reiterated that he does not expect the Series 12 or Ultra 4 to have any major design changes compared to the current Series 11 and Ultra 3 models. ...
iPhone 18 Pro Dark Cherry Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Pre-Orders May Start at an Unusual Time

Friday August 28, 2026 8:17 am PDT by
Pre-orders of Apple's iPhone 18 Pro may not open until Saturday, September 12, a day later than the company's usual schedule, according to a new report. Apple is set to hold its annual iPhone event on Wednesday, September 9, where the iPhone 18 Pro models, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 are all expected to be announced. Under Apple's typical...
Apple Surprise Shine

Apple Event: Six New Products to Expect on September 9

Thursday August 27, 2026 8:00 am PDT by
Apple has announced that it will be holding an event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone, and more. Other products expected to be announced at the event include an Apple Watch Series 12 with a ceramic case option, an Apple Watch Ultra 4, AirPods 5 with and without...

Top Rated Comments

117 months ago
I received my 8 plus this morning, and have been enjoying my new toy all day. To each their own!
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
117 months ago
Goddamn the X is going to be impossible to find.

No one I know preordered the 8.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dampfnudel Avatar
117 months ago
And for the rest of us, X marks the spot.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
a0me Avatar
117 months ago
I recently watched the conference thinking can they possibly be rehashing the IPhone 6 again and possibly getting excited about this old naff design at all? I was just waiting for the IPhone X.

The 8 is a total waste of space and shouldn’t even exist.
Except that iPhone 8:
+ is $300 cheaper (with the exact same internals as the more expensive model)
+ has Touch ID
+ can be used one-handed
+ doesn't have a big notch cut out of top of apps, videos and photos
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
117 months ago
I'm very similar to you. I've currently have no phone and I'm waiting for the x, if it's sold out I'll buy an eight plus until the x becomes available.
I was on the iPhone 6 for three years until about a month ago. It was sluggish and I couldn’t hear people when talking on the phone. I intended to get the 8 plus for quite a while. Last month, I killed my phone a little too early when my water bottle leaked on it. I’ve been using my 4s in the meantime. This made getting the new phone today, all the more sweeter.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Ds6778 Avatar
117 months ago
Love my 8 Plus. Really looking forward to 11.1 though.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)