They were released alongside the iPhone X and were the last two mainline iPhones to feature the iPhone 6 design Apple had been using since 2014. The iPhone 8 series may not have been as exciting as its iPhone X sibling, but it did stand out as a fantastic option for people who weren’t quite ready to jump aboard the bezel-less and button-less future Apple has been pushing towards ever since.
Given the iPhone 8’s age, why would anyone want to consider buying it all these years later? Believe it or not, buying old iPhones is a common thing for a lot of people. It’s no secret that iPhones are pretty expensive when they first launch. By purchasing an iPhone a year or two following its release, people can get a top-tier device without spending top-dollar for it. It may not be the latest or greatest, but it’s still a quality handset that someone can enjoy using for a while to come.
Buying a four-year-old smartphone might not seem like the best idea, but there are a couple of arguments to still make for the iPhone 8 in 2021. For one thing, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus This level of software is only found with iPhones, and it’s what makes them such fantastic long-term purchases. In addition to new features and interface changes, that also means the iPhone 8 series is regularly getting important security patches that keep it just as safe as the newest iPhones available today. Another advantage of the iPhone 8 is its price. Although Apple doesn’t officially sell the iPhone 8 these days, it’s readily available from third-party sites (often is used or renewed condition). On Amazon, a renewed 64GB iPhone 8 can currently be purchased for just $189 — a far cry from the $699 retail price it debuted at in 2017. For folks that don’t mind shopping in the used marketplace, Swappa has iPhone 8 starting at $150. Expectations do need to be set when buying a four-year-old and pre-owned phone, but the low price of the iPhone 8 in 2021 can’t be overlooked.
Why You Shouldn’t Buy An iPhone 8 In 2021
However, even with such an attractive price tag, there are even more reasons why someone should probably skip the iPhone 8 and buy something else. While the iPhone 8's software is surprisingly up-to-date, it's still a phone with four-year-old hardware. The single 12MP camera is noticeably lacking compared to more recent devices, the A11 Bionic processor is no longer the performance beast it used to be, and the battery in a phone that old can't hold a candle to something that was released within the last couple of years.
Furthermore, there are just better options out there in 2021 for a cheap iPhone. Take the iPhone SE. It has the same design as the iPhone 8, a faster and smarter A13 Bionic processor, a higher-quality camera, a newer battery, and should receive a couple of extra years of software updates — all for just $399. It's an objectively better purchase than the iPhone 8, and it's not that much more expensive considering the upgrades it delivers. Another solid option is the iPhone 11. Available right now for $599, the iPhone 11 features a 6.1-inch display with drastically smaller bezels, Face ID, two rear cameras, an improved selfie camera, much longer battery life, and better water resistance. $499 isn't necessarily cheap, but it's a night and day difference from the iPhone 8.
The iPhone 8 is a fine device to keep using for someone that already owns it. However, anyone shopping for a new iPhone should likely ignore it and get something else. From newer internals, longer software , and just better overall value, something like the iPhone SE or iPhone 11 is a far better purchase. The extra cost of those devices might sting right now, but it'll be money well spent a few years down the road.
Source: Apple