Apple stormed the market when they dropped the 7 and 8 series in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The first ever iPhone to come without an earphone jack was the iPhone 7. Many protested against it and some even vowed to not get their new phones from Apple anymore, but as history would have it, all their releases thereafter, including the 7 series, were mega hits.
In May 2017, analytics research company Strategy Analytics announced that iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were the best-selling smartphones worldwide during the first quarter of 2017, selling 21.5 million and 17.4 million units, respectively. I think it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that Apple had sold well over a 100 million iPhone 7’s in the first year itself.
Coming to the iPhone 8 series, Apple sold a staggering 20.8 million units in the first quarter of 2018, which easily tallies up to more than a 100 million in the first year alone. Going by a rough approximation from an Apple fan, that figure may have well over doubled. This should be a clear indication of how popular the 7 and 8 series were despite Apple having introduced major changes that their users would require getting adjusted to.
Unfortunately, Apple has stopped production of one of their best phones ever.
Now, word has it that after launching the iPhone SE in 2020, Apple has decided to bid farewell to its iPhone 8 series smartphones. According to a report by MacRumours, Apple stopped selling the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus after announcing its new budget smartphone. Following the launch of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple has discontinued the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus as well.
That having said, if you wish to get an iPhone 7 or an iPhone 8 (which I’m pretty sure you do, since you’re here reading this article), you may still get one at SmartphonesPLUS.com. We have a line of refurbished iPhones for sale in pristine condition, but more on that later.
Let’s have a look at which iPhone you should get between the two and why.
The iPhone 7 comes in a smooth all metal body which is definitely a major fan favorite. The sleek metal finish on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus was a key factor to seeing such high sales figures. The iPhone 8 on the other hand has a beautiful but fragile all-glass back. The all-glass back of the iPhone 8 was the major cause of iPhone repairs in 2018 and 2019. Many loved the back but couldn’t show it off since iPhones are usually highly priced and any rational user would want to protect it. So if you’re about the all metal rugged phones that won’t crack at a fall then here the iPhone 7 takes a huge lead.
Is wireless charging worth the extra dollars?
Many will argue that the iPhone 8 enables users to charge wirelessly, but that’s one feature we can live without. If you’re the type that checks your phone for notifications or likes to play games while its charging then wireless charging on the iPhone 8 is definitely not going to be the phone you choose to buy.
Which phone provides a better value for money?
If you need a new phone that’s going to give you great value for money, has an impressive pack of features and something that’s durable and dependable then the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus is the one for you. I agree that it’s pretty old for an iPhone but it still has the premium touch that most new phones have these days, at the price of an older phone. Beat that!
A lot of pre-owned iPhones are in great condition, and no matter what bloggers say, practically an old phone is just as great as a new one. You can get yourself a great deal on an iPhone 7 Plus 128 GB for just $150 dollars OR on an iPhone 8 Plus 256 GB for only $213 on many online marketplaces such as Swappa, Gazelle, NextWorth and more.
Which phone has a better gaming experience?
The 8 series also has really high powered phones that can run power intensive apps smoothly on its A11 chip compared to the 7 series which runs on the A10 fusion. Both processors are really high powered even when you choose to compare them to most gaming phones you get these days in that price range.
Let’s have a run through some key features and notes of comparison on the two iPhone to help you iron out the details and decide which phone you’re going to buy.
Parameters | iPhone 8 | iPhone 7 |
Dimensions | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) | 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 in) |
SIM | Nano SIM | Nano SIM |
Display | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits 4.7 inches display with True Tone | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits 4.7 inches display without True Tone |
Platform | iOS 11, upgradable to iOS 14.4 | iOS 10.0.1, upgradable to iOS 14.4 |
Chipset | Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) | Apple A10 Fusion (16 nm) |
Back Camera | 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps | 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/3″, PDAF, OIS 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@240fps |
Front Camera | 7 MP, f/2.2 | 7 MP, f/2.2, 32mm |
3.5 mm jack | No | No |
Battery | Li-Ion 1821 mAh, non-removable (6.96 Wh) | Li-Ion 1960 mAh, non-removable (7.45 Wh) |
Battery Life | 66 hours endurance | 61 hours endurance |
Colors | Silver, Space Gray, Gold, Red | Jet Black, Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Red |
Please note that all 7 and 8 series phones have stopped production, as mentioned earlier, and as such you will have to buy a used cell phone if you do decide to buy one.
We hope that this article has helped you get a better idea on your iPhone purchase and if you’d like to know more about the functionality of older iPhones let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to take it up in your next blog. Ciao!