You remember that morning in September 2017. Everyone was obsessed with the iPhone X and its weird notch. But tucked away in the shadows of that "future" phone was the iPhone 8. It felt like a relic even then. It was the end of an era—the final evolution of the design language Jony Ive spent a decade perfecting.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild that we’re still talking about this phone nearly nine years after its debut. Most tech dies in three. But the iPhone 8 is a weird beast. It’s the cockroach of the smartphone world. It just refuses to go away.
People still buy them on the refurbished market. Kids use them as their first "real" phones. Granparents love them because they still have that physical home button. But if you’re looking at one today, you’ve gotta ask yourself if you’re buying a piece of history or just a headache.
The A11 Bionic: Still Punching Above Its Weight?
Inside this glass sandwich sits the A11 Bionic chip. When it launched, it was the first time Apple used a neural engine. It was massive news. Does it hold up? Sorta.
If you’re just scrolling TikTok or sending a flurry of iMessages, you won’t notice much lag. It’s snappy. But try to open a heavy game like Genshin Impact or a high-end video editor. That’s where the 10nm architecture starts to show its age. The phone gets hot. Fast.
One thing people forget is that the iPhone 8 was the first to support wireless charging. That glass back wasn't just for aesthetics; it was a functional shift. It’s funny looking back at how revolutionary 7.5W charging felt at the time, especially compared to the MagSafe speeds we see now.
Why People Are Still Obsessed With the Home Button
The iPhone 8 represents the pinnacle of Touch ID. There’s a specific kind of muscle memory involved with a physical button that Face ID hasn't quite replaced for everyone. You don't have to look at the phone to unlock it. You just reach into your pocket, press, and by the time it’s in front of your face, it’s ready.
It’s about reliability.
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Some users actually prefer the chunky "forehead" and "chin" of the iPhone 8 because it gives them somewhere to put their thumbs while watching YouTube. No notch cutting into the frame. Just a clean, 16:9 aspect ratio. It feels intentional.
The Reality of the Retina Display
Let’s be real for a second: the screen is tiny by today’s standards. 4.7 inches is microscopic when the average phone is pushing 6.7. If you have large hands, typing on an iPhone 8 feels like trying to play a piano with boxing gloves on.
But it’s a high-quality LCD. Apple’s True Tone technology debuted here, adjusting the color temperature to match the light around you. It’s easy on the eyes. It just lacks those deep, inky blacks you get with an OLED panel on a newer Pro model.
Software Support: The End of the Road
This is the part where things get a bit grim. Apple officially dropped support for the iPhone 8 with the release of iOS 17.
What does that actually mean for you?
It means you aren't getting the latest features. No Standby mode. No fancy new stickers. More importantly, you're missing out on the tightest security patches. While Apple occasionally pushes "emergency" security updates to older devices, you're basically living in a house with a solid lock but no alarm system.
Eventually, apps will stop working. Developers like Meta or Google usually support older iOS versions for a few years after Apple cuts them off, but the clock is ticking. You’ve probably got until late 2026 or 2027 before your favorite banking app says "Update required" and you realize you can't.
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The Single Camera Dilemma
We live in a world of triple-lens arrays and LiDAR sensors. The iPhone 8 has one lonely 12MP lens on the back.
In broad daylight? It’s actually great. The colors are natural. Skin tones look like real human skin, not the over-processed HDR mess some modern mid-range phones produce. Apple’s image signal processor (ISP) in the A11 chip was way ahead of its time.
But don't try to take a photo at a concert. Or a candlelit dinner.
- There is no Night Mode.
- Noise creeps in the second the sun goes down.
- Portrait mode is non-existent (unless you have the 8 Plus).
- 4K video at 60fps is supported, which is still impressive, but the stabilization feels jittery compared to the "Action Mode" on an iPhone 15 or 16.
If you're a "creator," the iPhone 8 isn't your tool. If you just want to take a photo of a receipt or your cat in the sun, it’s more than fine.
Battery Life is the Elephant in the Room
Here’s the deal: the battery in an iPhone 8 was small even in 2017. It’s a 1,821 mAh cell. For comparison, modern iPhones are often double that.
If you buy a used iPhone 8 today, the battery chemistry is likely degraded. You’ll be lucky to get four hours of screen-on time. You will become a "wall hugger," constantly looking for a lightning cable. You can get the battery replaced for about $50-$70, which gives the phone a second life, but you're still fighting physics. A small battery can only do so much heavy lifting.
Sustainability and the Second-Hand Market
There is a huge environmental argument for keeping an iPhone 8 in circulation. Every year we toss millions of tons of e-waste. If you can use an "old" phone for basic tasks, you’re keeping it out of a landfill.
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Many businesses use the iPhone 8 as a dedicated work phone for calls and Slack. It’s cheap, it’s durable (relatively speaking), and if it gets dropped on a construction site, you aren't losing a $1,000 investment.
How to Make an iPhone 8 Work in 2026
If you’re committed to using an iPhone 8 right now, you have to be smart about it. You can't treat it like a flagship.
First, check your battery health in Settings. If it's below 80%, just pay for the replacement. It’s the single biggest upgrade you can make. Second, clear out your storage. The base 64GB model fills up instantly with modern app sizes. Use iCloud for your photos to keep the local storage lean.
Third, get a decent case. The glass back on the iPhone 8 is notoriously slippery. It will slide off a couch if it's at a 1-degree angle.
Actionable Steps for Potential Buyers
If you are currently looking at an iPhone 8, follow this checklist before handing over any cash:
- Check the IMEI: Make sure the phone isn't blacklisted or reported stolen.
- Verify Touch ID: The home button is tied to the logic board. If it’s broken, a cheap third-party replacement often won't support fingerprint scanning, rendering the most important feature useless.
- Inspect the Screen: Look for "white spots" or pressure marks on the LCD, which are common in older units.
- Test the Microphone: Record a quick voice memo. These older models often have mic ports clogged with pocket lint, making calls sound muffled.
The iPhone 8 is a classic. It represents a moment when Apple perfected a specific vision of what a phone should be. It’s tactile, it’s small, and it works—until it doesn't. If you need a primary device for the next three years, look at an iPhone 13 or an SE (3rd Gen). But if you want a backup, a "distraction-free" device, or a cheap way into the iMessage ecosystem, this old warrior still has a little bit of fight left in it.
Keep your expectations in check, stay near a charger, and enjoy the click of that home button while it lasts.