Apple to Donate $1 Million to Earthquake Recovery Efforts in Mexico
Apple CEO Tim Cook this afternoon announced on Twitter that Apple plans to donate $1 million to recovery efforts in Mexico. “While there is life, there is hope,” Cook wrote in the tweet announcing the donation.
On Tuesday, a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Central Mexico, causing widespread devastation in Mexico City and surrounding states. Hundreds of people died in the disaster as buildings and structures collapsed. The earthquake followed a magnitude 8.1-earthquake that hit the southern coast of the country earlier this month.
Mientras hay vida, hay esperanza. Mexicoβs resilience is its strength. Apple is contributing $1M to recovery efforts. #FuerzaMexico π²π½
β Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 21, 2017
Apple’s $1 million donation to help recovery efforts in Mexico comes following Apple’s efforts to raise more than $8 million for hurricane relief efforts in states and countries affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
As of August, Apple had raised more than $3 million both through its own donations, donations from employees, and donations from customers, and on September 8, Apple donated another $5 million to Hand in Hand, a benefit held for hurricane relief. Apple is still accepting Hand in Hand donations through iTunes.
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4K iTunes Content Limited to Streaming Only, No Downloads
Apple has updated its iTunes Store on iOS devices and the Apple TV with plenty of 4K movies ahead of the launch of the Apple TV 4K, but as made clear in a recent support document, 4K content from Apple can be streamed, but not downloaded directly on a device.
According to Apple, customers can download a local copy of an HD movie, and on occasion, HD movies that support HDR and Dolby Vision, but 4K movies are not available for download and thus can’t be watched without an internet connection.
You can download a local copy of an HD movie, and you might be able to download HDR and Dolby Vision versions, but you can’t download a 4K version.
That means customers who have had their previously-purchased iTunes movies upgraded from HD to 4K at no cost can stream those movies in 4K, but can only download HD versions. Newly purchased content is also restricted from download.
It’s not clear why Apple is not allowing customers to download 4K content onto their devices, but it could potentially be a licensing issue. Apple is providing 4K content at the same price as HD content, though movie studios were rumored to want to charge more. It’s also possible it’s a local storage issue, as 4K movies have large file sizes.
To stream 4K content to the new Apple TV 4K, Apple recommends a minimum speed of 25Mb/s, according to the support document. If an internet connection isn’t fast enough, Apple will downscale the video quality.
In addition to the download restriction, one other major negative surfaced today — the 4K Apple TV does not support 4K content from YouTube at this time. YouTube streams its 4K content using a VP9 video format, a codec the Apple TV does not support. The 4K Apple TV is limited to H.264, HEVC (H.265), and MP4.
Netflix and 4K content from other streaming services is supported, however, and Apple has promised 4K content from Amazon Prime Video will be available when the app launches later this year.
The first Apple TV 4K orders will begin arriving to customers on Friday, September 22, the official launch date of the device.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
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How to Sign Up for iCloud Family Storage Plans in iOS 11
Apple’s Family Sharing feature allows you to share music, movies, apps, photos, and more with family members, and in iOS 11, Family Sharing extends to Apple’s iCloud Storage plans.
When you purchase a 200GB or 2TB iCloud Storage plan, all members of your family can share the storage space. Depending on how many family members you have, family plans offer more storage at a better price than individual plans.
For example, a 50GB storage plan is priced at $0.99 per person. For two people, the $2.99 200GB plan offers each person an additional 50GB of storage for only $1 more.
How to Upgrade to a Family iCloud Storage Plan
Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile at the top of the app.
Choose “Family Sharing,” the sixth option in the list.
Tap on “iCloud Storage” to bring up a notice about the new Family Sharing options.
Click “Continue” to choose a plan.
Pick a 200GB or 2TB plan.
You can also access the plan settings through the standard iCloud Storage menu in the Settings app, accessible by going to iCloud > Manage Storage after tapping on your profile.
How to Stop Sharing iCloud Storage With Family
You can sign up for a 2TB or 200GB storage plan and keep family members from accessing your storage space. Here’s how:
Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile.
Choose “Family Sharing.”
Choose “iCloud Storage.”
Tap on “Stop Sharing With Family.”
How to Downgrade iCloud Storage
If you want to go back to a cheaper iCloud Storage option, downgrading is as simple as choosing a new plan. New rates won’t kick in until the next billing period.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on your Apple ID profile.
Choose “iCloud.”
Tap on “Manage Storage.”
Choose “Change” under the iCloud Storage option.
Select a 5GB or 50GB plan to downgrade.
It’s important to note that there’s no way to allocate how much storage each person gets when using one of Apple’s new iCloud Storage plans for families, so it’s not always an even split. If a family member is hogging too much space, that’s a problem that will need to be worked out offline. You can see how much storage each family member is using by going to profile > Family Sharing > iCloud Storage.
When you choose a 200GB or 2TB storage plan and opt in to Family Sharing, family members who are on the free 5GB plan will be upgraded automatically and will begin using the family storage plan.
Family members who already have a paid plan will need to opt in to the family storage plan to transfer over from their own plans. If they want to have separate storage, your family members can continue to pay for their own plans and choose not to opt into the family plan.
To let your family know that you’ve signed up for a family iCloud plan, Apple offers an automatic iMessage alert that can be sent out to family members that lets them easily switch over to the family plan.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: iCloud
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Instagram’s ‘follows you’ feature reveals your true friends
In what might be one of the most overdue updates of all time, Instagram is finally testing a feature that lets you see if someone is following you directly from their bio. Previously, you’d have to laboriously scroll through your followers list to see if your crush/boss/favorite celebrity cat was following you — now you can just check their bio for the “follows you” label.
Oh wow so now Instagram lets you know who actually follows you …loves this new update! So you can now lurking who’s a fan lmao pic.twitter.com/suQ6NUp3ls
β Paris Duarte (@ParisDuarte) September 16, 2017
This incredibly simple and much sought-after update has the internet rejoicing, but it seems it’s only rolling out to Android users at the moment (and not all of them — no-one at Engadget can see the coveted label yet). Instagram has been pretty vague about the new feature, telling Mashable “We’re always testing ways to improve the Instagram experience.” Rest assured the iOS update will follow soon, though, and then everyone can get to work culling their follower lists and taking their social media beef and passive aggression to a whole new level.
Via: Mashable
First iPhone 8, Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K Pre-Orders Start Arriving in New Zealand
Because of time zone differences, Apple customers in New Zealand and Australia are always the first to get their hands on new devices on launch day, and this year is no exception.
It’s just after 9:00 a.m. in New Zealand, and customers who pre-ordered an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, or Apple TV 4K are beginning to receive their shipments and have started sharing the first photos of the new devices on Twitter, Instagram, and the MacRumors forums.
Image from MacRumors forum moderator Nermal
As September 22 hits around the world, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will be available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands.
While New Zealand customers were able to order the Apple Watch Series 3, there were no LTE models available for purchase in the country, so the first LTE devices won’t be unboxed until deliveries begin in Australia. Along with Australia, the LTE Apple Watch models can be purchased in Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, the UK and the US.
Image from MacRumors reader Flynn
A long list of other countries were able to pre-order non-LTE Apple Watch Series 3 models, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the UK and the US, while Apple Watch Nike+ pre-orders are being accepted in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macau, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, the UK and the US.
A post shared by π °οΈγ½οΈπ…. π (@amomaharaj) on Sep 21, 2017 at 1:54pm PDT
Retail stores in most countries will be opening at 8:00 a.m. local time letting customers pick up reserved devices and make purchases via walk-in. Because supplies of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have been plentiful, it should be no problem for most customers to walk into a retail store to purchase a new iPhone.
Non-LTE Apple Watch models are also readily available, but it could be harder to get an LTE Apple Watch Series 3 as those are sold out online and list shipment estimates ranging into several weeks.
In the United States, the first iPhone 8, 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and Apple TV 4K deliveries will begin at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time, with the first deliveries occuring on the east coast.
Related Roundups: Apple TV, Apple Watch, watchOS 4, iPhone 8
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now), Apple Watch (Buy Now), iPhone (Buy Now)
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Automatic Setup feature in iOS11 makes it easier to set up your new iPhone 8
Why it matters to you
If you have a new iOS device you need to transfer information from, iOS 11 makes it easy with its Automatic Setup feature. It automatically signs you in to your accounts and restores your content.
After unboxing your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus, you might notice that setting up your new Apple device is different β and easier β than setting up your old one. With iOS 11, youβll now be using Automatic Setup to transfer information from the iOS device you already own to your new one.
When you turn on your new iOS device, youβll reach a window called Quick Start that will prompt you to pair both devices.Β Once the iOS devices are placed together, there will be another window asking you to position an image in the frame of your older device. After the image is captured, your new device will be restored to its settings from the old one. It will then ask you to enter the pass code from your previous device, which will also be used for the new one.
This feature automatically signs you in to iCloud, iTunes, Keychain, iMessage, and the App Store, along with FaceTime under your Apple ID, and it also restores your content. If your iCloud backup isnβt up to date, you can restore it with a fresh backup from your old device. But you have to make sure your older device is also running on iOS 11.
Since both devices are in proximity, Automatic Setup is able to securely restore device settings such as region, network, keyboard preferences, and language. It even carries over other information such as places you often visit, words you commonly type, health data, how you talk to Siri, and home configurations, among others, which means you donβt have to spend time rebuilding history and patterns on your new device.
Thereβs also a faster, more guided setup than before, with options to set up Siri, True Tone, and your Home button only if you didnβt previously configure them. Youβll also be prompted to set up Touch ID, as well as confirm your credit cards from Apple Pay. Lastly, if your iCloud Backup isnβt up to date, you can restore it with a fresh backup from your old device.
Even though the process doesnβt take long, you can choose to finish part of the setup process at a later time in order to start using your device right away. You also have the option to set up the iPhone manually instead.
Thermal imaging can reveal just how hard your brain is working
Why it matters to you
Thermal imaging tech could help reveal if students are struggling in the classroom.
How hard are you concentrating as you read this article? There is one not-so-obvious way to find out: Read your hidden cognition levels using your personal heat signature, courtesy of smart thermal imaging tech. That is what a new research project by a group of international engineers from Australia, Germany, and Japan set out to do β with impressive results.
βWeβve explored a new way of estimating cognitive load, i.e. how much mental effort the user is putting into a given task,β Eduardo Velloso, a lecturer at the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, told Digital Trends. βTo do so, we use a thermal camera. Whereas in an image captured by a normal camera, each pixel corresponds to a color, in an image captured by a thermal camera, each pixel corresponds to a temperature value. In our system, we capture the userβs facial temperature signature with a thermal camera.β
The researchersβ software automatically analyzes how the temperature is distributed in a personβs face and provides an estimate of their cognitive load. This is ascertained by looking at the way that blood flows through the body in different cognitive and emotional states. βWhen we are scared, blood flows to our legs to help us run; and when we are embarrassed, blood flows to our face, making us blush,β Velloso continued. βIn a similar way, when we encounter a difficult task, it causes a change in how the blood is distributed on our face, and therefore also on our facial temperature signature.β
Long-term, Velloso said the technology could be used in various domains, such as education. For instance, a webcam equipped with thermal imaging might monitor students as they study, and help reveal when they are facing difficulties or else finding their work too easy.
βIn the future, we will also combine thermal imaging with other metrics,β Velloso continued. βWe are currently incorporating eye tracking into the mix. One downside of our metric is that it gives us a hint of how hard the user is thinking, but it does not tell us much about what caused an increase in cognitive load. By also monitoring where the user is looking, we will have a complete picture of precisely where the user was looking when we saw an increase in cognitive load. So far, we have only explored this application in controlled experiments. The next steps will be to take our system into the wild and fine-tune our algorithms to be robust to other confounds, such as changes in environmental temperature and other emotions.β
A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable, and Ubiquitous Technologies.
Stuck on the spinning wheel of doom? Hereβs how to Force Quit on a Mac
Whether MacOS is giving you a spinning beach ball of death, or iTunes is taking too long to close (again), sometimes you just need to immediately close an app if MacOS isnβt being cooperative. Thankfully, youβve got options, and thereβs more than one way to Force Quit an unresponsive app in Appleβs desktop operating system.
Keep in mind that, unlike the normal method for quitting an app, there arenβt going to be any prompts asking you to save your work or confirming your decision. Once you hit Force Quit, itβs too late for all of that, and MacOS will immediately shut the app down without any prompts. Just a word of warning β using Force QuitΒ should be a last resort.
Now letβs get to it. Hereβs how to force quit on a Mac.
Utilize Finder
First up is Appleβs recommended course of action for when an app starts to wear out its welcome. Just click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screenΒ andΒ selectΒ Force Quit from the list. This should bring up a task manager that showcasesΒ your open applications. Just selectΒ the one thatβs giving you trouble and click Force QuitΒ at the bottom.
Hit Command-Q
If that doesnβt work, itβs time for keyboard shortcuts. Just like Ctrl-Alt-Del for Windows 10, Command-Q is generally the best way to Force Quit an app that has locked up. SimplyΒ press and hold the Command and βQβ keys, and the troublesome app should fade away.
Try the Option key
If its still giving you trouble, right-click or Control-click the misbehaving app in yourΒ dock, press and hold the Option key, and try selecting Force Quit from the list. If that doesnβt work, donβt worry, you still have options. Itβs just time to get creative.
Launch Activity Monitor
Letβs begin by opening the Activity Monitor. Click on theΒ Spotlight icon β i.e. the magnifying glass in the top-right corner of your screen β andΒ enterΒ βActivity Monitorβ in the text box. Then, select the application from the list, which should bring up a task managerΒ that displays everything running on your computer. Find the culprit, selectΒ it, andΒ click the button that resembles a stop sign in the top-left corner.
If that still doesnβtΒ do the trick, it might be a good idea to save all your open work and restart your iMac or MacBook, which will likely solve the problem. But if youβre still determined to shut down that app, itβs time to for the nuclear option.
Use the command terminal
Open your Applications folder, scroll down to Utilities, and launchΒ Terminal. When you open the app, give it a second. Once Terminal lists your username and a tilde, itβs time to get to work. Type βtopβ within the box and press the Return key.
Terminal will list all currently running applications β including thoseΒ running in the background β alongside a lot of diagnostic information regarding your CPU and RAM usage. But what weβre looking for here is going to be in the Command column. Here, you should see a list of all running applications, and to the left will be a column of numbers labeled PID.
If you see the application you want to close in the Command column, make a mental note of its PID (or just write it down).Β Then, close your Terminal window, open a new one, and typeΒ βkillβ followed by the PID for the application in question. Then,Β hit the Return key. That should do it! Just close Terminal, and take a nice deep breath.
iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: Should you upgrade?
A bigger number being added to the end of an iPhone usually signals a radical change in design β so we were surprised when it turned out that the changes Apple was making for the iPhone 8 Plus were mostly internal. With so little having changed on the exterior of the device, if youβre rocking the iPhone 7 Plus, you need to know if upgrading to an iPhone 8 Plus is worth your time and money. And if youβre gazing into Appleβs walled garden for the first time, you need to know whether Appleβs latest Plus model is worth choosing over the iPhone 7 Plus.
Thatβs why weβve put together a comparison of the two models, to highlight where changes have been made, and where the strengths and weaknesses of each handset lie. For a more in-depth review, donβt forget to check out our comprehensive reviews for both the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone 7 Plus.
Specs
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus
Size
158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm (6.24 x 3.07 x 0.30 inches)
158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches)
Weight
202 grams (7.13 ounces)
188 grams (6.63 ounces)
Screen
5.5-inch IPS LCD Retina HD display
5.5-inch IPS LCD Retina HD display
Resolution
1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 ppi)
1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 ppi)
OS
iOS 11
iOS 11
Storage
64GB, 256GB
32GB, 128GB, 256GB
MicroSD card slot
No
No
NFC support
Yes (Apple Pay only)
Yes (Apple Pay only)
Processor
A11 Bionic with 64-bit architecture, M11 motion co-processor
A10 Fusion with 64-bit architecture, M10 motion co-processor
RAM
3GB
3GB
Connectivity
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
4G LTE, GSM, CDMA, HSPA+, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi
Camera
Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP FaceTime HD front
Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP FaceTime HD front
Video
Up to 4K at 60fps, 1080p at 240fps
Up to 4K at 30fps, 720p at 240fps
Bluetooth
Yes, version 5.0
Yes, version 4.2
Fingerprint sensor
TouchID
TouchID
Other sensors
Barometer, 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
Barometer, 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor
Water resistant
Yes, IP67 rated
Yes, IP67 rated
Battery
2,675mAh
21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet, 14 hours of video playback, and up to 60 hours of audio playback
Fast charging offers up to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes, wireless charging (Qi standard)
2,900mAh
21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet, 14 hours of video playback, and up to 60 hours of audio playback
Charging port
Lightning
Lightning
Marketplace
Apple App Store
Apple App Store
Colors
Gold, Space Gray, Silver
Jet Black, Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Red
Availability
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Apple
AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Apple
Price
$799
$669
DT review
Hands-on review
4 out of 5 stars
Being a straight upgrade for the iPhone 7 Plus, it should be obvious that the processor in the iPhone 8 Plus is superior. Apple has included the new A11 Bionic chip in the 8 Plus, and benchmark tests on the iPhone 8 have already shown the A11 to be superior to the A10 Fusion chip running in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. In those tests, the new A11 chip scored 25-percent higher on single-core tests, and an amazing 80-percent better on multi-core. But despite the results, the iPhone 7 Plus is no slouch when it comes to power. The A10 is more than capable of keeping up with the Snapdragon 835 in theΒ Galaxy S8,Β and besting the Snapdragon 821 in the LG G6.
Apple has always kept information on iPhone RAM fairly close to the chest, but itβs currently assumed that the iPhone 8 Plus will be packing 3GB of RAM β the same amount as the 7 Plus. If that seems small (the Galaxy Note 8 has 6GB of RAM), keep in mind that Apple has always tailored its hardwareβs capabilities to its software in a manner not possible with Android, which has given the company a larger bang for its buck when it comes to hardware.
Neither the 8 Plus or the 7 Plus offers a MicroSD card slot (as per tradition), and the iPhone 8 Plus drops the 32GB model in favor of 64GB and 256GB configurations. The 7 Plus offers more flexibility when it comes to memory, however, by giving buyers 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB options. And since 32GB is a rather small amount these days, buyers may feel forced to fork out the extra dollars for one of the upgraded sizes. Since neither model has a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth will be of key interest to any prospective buyer. The iPhone 8 Plus comes with Bluetooth 5.0 (and the range and speed improvements that it offers), while the 7 Plus comes with Bluetooth 4.2. Both handsets have NFC for use with Apple Pay, so there are no worries there.
Itβs obvious that the winner in this category was always going to be the iPhone 8 Plus. Appleβs upgraded A11 Bionic processor is leaps and bounds above the old A10 Fusion. But itβs important to note that the iPhone 7 Plus is no weakling. As we previously mentioned, itβs still capable of trading blows with the top flagships from other brands. But in this fight, a faster processor and better memory options carry the day.
Winner: iPhone 8 Plus
Display, design, and durability
If youβve seen both of these phones, youβll already know thereβs very little in this. The 8 Plus is very similar in design to the 7 Plus, with the addition of a glass back on the iPhone 8 Plus as the only real cosmetic difference between the two phones. Unfortunately, this older design is really starting to show. With the Note 8, LG G6, and other smartphones that have blazed forward with a bezel-less design, having such a large forehead and chin on what should be Appleβs latest flagship is something of a let down. The iPhone XΒ shows Appleβs intent to change, but for now, the design of the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus is somewhat of a disappointment, despite the attractive glass back on the 8 Plus.
Display-wise, the two models are again neck and neck. Both the 7 Plus and the 8 Plus have a 5.5-inch, 1,920 x 1,080-pixel display, with a pixel-per-inch measurement of 401. While a far cry from the iPhone Xβs ppi of 458, 401 isnβt a bad number, and Appleβs Retina display is as bright and crisp as ever. The iPhone 8 Plus also makes use of Appleβs True Tone technology, which will automatically compensate for the surrounding lighting and adjust the white balance of your display, thus keeping colors within their correct bounds. How good this technology will be remains to be seen, however.
Both models have the IP67 dust and water resistance that Apple brought in with the last iteration, and while weβve yet to properly test the iPhone 8 Plusβ durability, it can be assumed that the two models are unlikely to differ much in terms of real-world resistance to water and dust. The glass back on the iPhone 8 Plus does bring up questions of long-term durability, though. The aluminum back on the iPhone 7 Plus may not have been perfect, but it was never going to shatter. Much like the glass backing on the Galaxy S8, you might want to consider a protective case for your iPhone 8 Plus, which brings the two models back to a tie for this round.
Winner: Tie
Battery life and charging
Strangely for an upgraded model, the iPhone 8 Plus is rumored to come with a smaller battery than the 7 Plus. Itβs said to tout a 2,675mAh battery, which is slightly smaller than the 2,900mAh battery on the 7 Plus. Thankfully for Apple, the improved efficiency of the A11 core should mean that the battery life of the iPhone 8 Plus matches or exceeds the life of the iPhone 7 Plus. What does this mean in real-world terms? According to Appleβs own breakdown, the iPhone 8 Plus should be able to match the 7 Plus when it comes to battery life, providingΒ 21 hours of talk time, 13 hours of internet, 14 hours of video playback, and up to 60 hours of audio playback.
Thanks to the addition of fast charging, the 8 Plus is able to recharge up to 50 percent of its battery with a mere 30 minutes of charging, which is a lot speedier than the 7 Plus. The biggest change here is the addition of Qi wireless charging on the iPhone 8 Plus, now possible given glass back. Wireless charging has been a long-awaited feature, and now that itβs here, expect to see a boost in the visibility of wireless charging as a whole. Starbucks added wireless charging pads years ago, and weβre excited to see who else will jump aboard now that Apple has officially backed Qi charging. The addition of both wireless and fast charging is a huge boost for the iPhone 8 Plus, and helps it easily win this round.
Winner: iPhone 8 Plus
Cameras
The iPhone 7 Plus has been our pick for the best smartphone camera for a long time, so the 8 Plus has its work cut out for it. Weβre happy to report, however, that early reports on theΒ iPhone 8 Plus camera are positive, so weβre confident that Appleβs newest model will likely be our new best friend when it comes to snapping picks.
In terms of hardware, thereβs little difference between the two cameras β and since the camera on the iPhone 7 Plus was such a stunner, this is a good thing. Both rock 12-megapixel dual cameras on the rear, with one lens being a wide-angle with a f/1.8 aperture and the other being a f/2.8 telephoto. Both models have optical image stabilization, as well as optical zoom and 10x digital zoom, thanks to the aforementioned telephoto lens. The iPhone 8 Plus does pull ahead with the introduction of Portrait Lighting, which amounts to an enhanced version of the Portrait Mode introduced in the iPhone 7.
Furthermore, 4K video recording has similarly been improved, with the 8 Plus being capable of capturing 4K video at 24, 30, and 60 frames per second. The iPhone 7 Plus was only able to do so at 30 fps. Video capture is still much the same, but the 8 Plus is also now able to capture slow motion footage at 240 fps in 1080p β something the 7 Plus was only able to do in 720p.
The improvements to the iPhone 8 Plusβs camera are clearly that β improvements, rather than any kind of overhaul. But considering how good the camera was on the iPhone 7 Plus, any improvements coming with the iPhone 8 Plus can only be a good thing, and those improvements ensure that the iPhone 8 Plus wins this categoryβs crown.
Winner: iPhone 8 Plus
Software
This is probably the closest category to call. The iPhone 8 Plus will launch with iOS 11, and thanks to Appleβs update policy, the iPhone 7 Plus will be updated to iOS 11 as well. Logic dictates that the newer device built to work with the newer software will be superior here, but Appleβs devices are so well optimized that it can take many successive updates before the needs of an iOS update surpass an older iPhoneβs means. In real terms, youβre unlikely to notice much difference between the software performance on the iPhone 8 Plus and 7 Plus. Since the technological differences between the two devices are negligible, this category has to be a tie.
Winner: Tie
Pricing and availability
The iPhone 8 Plus ships September 22 (pre-orders are ongoing). Prices in Appleβs online store start at $799, which will net you an unlocked 64GB model, and go up to $949, which will land you an unlocked 256GB model. The iPhone 7 Plus is currently available β the 32GB models start at $669, while the 128GB models runs $769.
If money is no object, and you simply want the best iPhone you can buy, then the iPhone 8 Plus is your best bet (at least until the iPhone X arrives). But with prices getting perilously close to the vaunted $1,000 broken by the iPhone X, itβs hard to see how the addition of wireless charging, an improved camera, and a new processor can beat the pure value for money that the iPhone 7 Plus offers. For $30 less than the base 64GB iPhone 8 Plus, you can get a 128GB iPhone 7 Plus with specs that challenge (and often beat) most of the current flagships on the market.
Itβs value that makes the iPhone 7 Plus the winner of this category.
Winner: iPhone 7 Plus
Overall winner: iPhone 8 Plus
The iPhone 7 Plus puts up a brave fight, but in the battle between predecessor and successor, there can only be one winner. The iPhone 8 Plus offers multiple improvements over its last-gen counterpart, including some awesome additions to an already great camera. It also comes with wireless charging and makes use of fast charging, along with Appleβs latest-and-greatest processor. Itβs not perfectly clear-cut, however, and most of the things that the iPhone 8 Plus does, the iPhone 7 Plus will do just as well. While the iPhone 8 Plus is the overall winner here, the iPhone 7 Plus put up one heck of a fight, and still has the legs and the power to trade punches with most other flagships currently on the market.
If youβre looking to upgrade your pre-iPhone 7 Plus phone and money is no object, then you should definitely consider the iPhone 8 Plus. The additions over the iPhone 7 Plus make it an absolute must-buy for you, and youβll be getting power and utility thatβll last you for years. If money is tight, then you might want to consider the amount of value the iPhone 7 Plus provides, especially given the device delivers the same incredible camera, world-beating performance, and Apple polish. Similarly, upgrading from the iPhone 7 Plus is a tough call. If you really want it, go ahead β itβs not as if we could have stopped you anyway. But if youβre not feeling the need to replace your 7 Plus, then you can be happy to skip the 8 Plus for now.
6 smartphone deals that can save you up to $480
The beginning of fall is a great time of year to get a new smartphone. With companies like Apple and Samsung rolling out new flagship devices, itβs your chance to take advantage of slashed prices and limited-time offers. If your phone needs an update but you donβt want to wait for Black Friday to score a discount on a new device, here are a handful of the best smartphone deals available right now, including a few sales on unlocked smartphones, as well as some carrier offers that can save you as much as $480.
CARRIERSβ SMARTPHONE DEALS
Cellular service providers regularly offer enticing incentives to get you to switch to their plans, so if youβre looking for a new carrier, you can save a good chunk of change by taking advantage of one of these smartphone deals from Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon:
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Sprint is offering a 50 percent discount on the excellent Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for new customers. This lets you score the Galaxy Note 8 for just $480 when you sign up. You also get to choose a free gift (either a 128GB memory card with a wireless charger or a Samsung Gear 360 camera) while supplies last.
- LG G6: T-Mobile is selling the G6, LGβs latest flagship phone, for $500 after a $150 discount. Verizon customers can also score a second G6 virtually free. With the purchase of two phones and the addition of a new line to your existing plan, youβll receive a $500 prepaid MasterCard that covers the price of the second device.
- Apple iPhone 8 and 8 Plus: You can take between $100 and $300 off the new Apple iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus when you trade in an eligible device and sign up for Verizonβs Unlimited data plan. Bear in mind that the discount will be credited over the course of your lease, but this still lets you snag Appleβs new flagship for as little as $400.
UNLOCKED SMARTPHONE DEALS
Carrier offers typically require you to sign up for a specific service or to trade in an old device to get your discount. These Android smartphone deals, on the other hand, let you score big savings on carrier-unlocked devices when you buy them outright:
- LG G6: If you still want the LG G6 but didnβt find T-Mobileβs offer temping enough, then you can score one from B&H for $450 and save $250. This unlocked 4G LTE model is compatible with GSM and CDMA networks.
- Huawei Honor 8: The Huawei Honor 8 might not be the βflagship killerβ that some hyped it up to be, but itβs still a good, budget-friendly Android phone with solid hardware. The unlocked Honor 8 is compatible with GSM networks and can be yours for $270 from B&H, a $130 savings.
- LeEco Le Pro 3: LeEco has been gaining popularity lately as a maker of affordable yet quality Android devices. The unlocked Le Pro 3 GSM smartphone is currently available for $229 on Amazon after a nice 35 percent discount shaves $121 off the usual price.
MORE DEALS
- Cut the cord for good with our favorite deals on truly wireless earbuds
- Check out our favorite iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus case deals
- 10 must-have portable tech gadgets you can score for cheap right now
Looking for more great deals on mobile devices and other electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite tech.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and choose what we cover carefully and independently. If you find a better price for a product listed here, or want to suggest one of your own, email us at dealsteam@digitaltrends.com. Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
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