Honestly, it’s kinda wild to think about how much the iPhone 8 changed the game without people really noticing at the time. When Phil Schiller stepped onto the stage at the Steve Jobs Theater back in 2017, everyone was losing their minds over the iPhone X. That notch! The Face ID! It was the future. But for the millions of people who actually bought the phone with the home button, the real story was the shift in materials.
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus colors weren't just about different shades of paint. They represented a total structural pivot. Apple ditched the 7000-series aluminum backs of the iPhone 7 and went back to glass.
Why?
Wireless charging. You can't blast electricity through metal. So, Apple had to engineer this seven-layer color process that gave the glass a depth we hadn't seen since the iPhone 4s days. It made the colors look almost liquid. Depending on how the light hits an iPhone 8 Plus in Silver, it might look like white marble or a cold, clinical gray. It’s subtle. It’s sophisticated. And frankly, it’s held up better than almost any other phone from that era.
The "Big Three" Launch Colors and the Mystery of the Creamy Gold
When the phone first dropped, you had three choices. Space Gray, Silver, and Gold. But here is where it gets weird. The Gold on the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus colors spectrum was nothing like the "Champagne" gold of the iPhone 6 or the "Rose Gold" of the 6s.
It was this strange, fleshy, creamy hybrid.
Some tech reviewers at the time, like Marques Brownlee, pointed out that it sat right in the middle of gold and rose gold. It had this copper undertone. Under office fluorescent lights, it looks like a tan Band-Aid. Get it out in the sun, though? It glows. It has a depth that modern "Starlight" finishes just don't capture. It’s opulent without being tacky.
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Then you had Space Gray. This was a massive departure from the matte black of the iPhone 7. Because of the glass back, the Space Gray on the 8 series is more of a deep, moody charcoal. It’s translucent in a way that makes the Apple logo look like it's floating a few millimeters below the surface. If you’re into that stealthy, Batman-vibe, this was the one. But man, does it love fingerprints. You touch it once and it looks like a forensic crime scene.
Silver is never just silver
The Silver option is the sleeper hit. People think it’s boring. They’re wrong. On the iPhone 8, "Silver" is actually a bright, crisp white. The aluminum frame is silver, sure, but that glass back is as white as a fresh sheet of paper. It hides scratches better than any other finish. If you’ve ever seen a beat-up Space Gray model, the micro-abrasions in the glass glow white. On the Silver model, they disappear. It’s the practical choice for people who hate cases.
The Mid-Cycle Flex: Special Edition (PRODUCT)RED
Apple waited until April 2018 to drop the heavy hitter. The (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. This wasn't just another color; it was a correction of a massive design mistake Apple made a year prior.
Remember the Red iPhone 7? It had a white front. It looked... okay. But enthusiasts hated it. They wanted that "Darth Vader" look—red back, black front.
Apple listened.
The Red iPhone 8 and 8 Plus colors combo featured a deep, blood-red glass back paired with a pitch-black front bezel. It is arguably the most beautiful iPhone ever made. Period. The way the red glass meets the red-anodized aluminum frame is seamless. It’s aggressive. It’s bold. Even years later, seeing one in the wild catches your eye. It doesn't look like a "budget" phone or an old device. It looks like a statement.
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Durability, Scratches, and the "Naked" Dilemma
Let’s talk about the reality of owning these colors. Apple claimed this was the "most durable glass ever in a smartphone." While the internal structure was reinforced by steel, glass is still glass.
- Space Gray: Shows every oily smudge.
- Gold: Great at hiding dust but shows "pitting" on the aluminum frame if you use a cheap case.
- Silver: The king of cleanliness. You can go months without wiping it down and it still looks mint.
- Red: Shows fingerprints almost as badly as the Space Gray, but the color is so vibrant you almost don't care.
There's also the issue of the camera bump. On the 8 Plus, that horizontal dual-lens setup is a dust magnet. Regardless of which of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus colors you picked, lint from your jeans will settle around the rim of that sapphire crystal lens cover.
Why the Finish Matters in 2026
You might be wondering why anyone still cares about these colors now. It’s because the iPhone 8 was the end of an era. It was the last flagship with the "classic" design before everything became an all-screen slab.
Collectors and secondary market buyers obsess over these finishes because they represent the peak of Apple's "Jewelry" phase. Before the titanium of the 15 Pro or the matte glass of the 11 Pro, Apple wanted their phones to shine. The iPhone 8 shines. Literally.
If you're looking at buying one today for a kid or as a backup burner phone, the color choice actually affects the resale value. The (PRODUCT)RED models still command a premium on sites like Back Market or eBay. The Gold is polarizing—you either love the "creamy" look or you think it looks dated. Space Gray is the safe bet, the one that sells the fastest because it’s unobtrusive.
How to keep the color looking fresh
If you've got one, or you're buying one, don't hide it behind a solid rubber case. That defeats the whole purpose of the seven-layer ink process. Use a high-quality clear case. But be warned: clear cases turn yellow over time because of UV exposure. It makes the Silver model look like it’s been sitting in a smoker’s lounge.
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Summary of the Palette
Looking back, the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus colors were a tight, curated list. No mint greens, no pale blues, no lavender. Just a few metallic-inspired shades that aimed for "timeless" rather than "trendy."
- Space Gray: For the minimalists.
- Silver: For the people who want their phone to look new forever.
- Gold: For the bold who want something that looks like jewelry.
- Red: For the enthusiasts who want the best design Apple ever produced in that form factor.
The 8 Plus, in particular, carries these colors differently because of its sheer size. There’s more surface area for the light to play with. That glass back acts like a prism. It’s heavy, too. The weight of the glass makes the colors feel more "premium" than the aluminum-backed iPhones that came before.
What to do if you're shopping for one now
If you are hunting for an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus specifically for the aesthetic, stick to the Silver or the Red. The Silver’s ability to hide micro-scratches on the glass is a lifesaver when you're buying used. Most used Space Gray units look "hazy" because of thousands of tiny scratches that catch the light.
Check the edges of the frame. The color-matched aluminum on the Gold and Red models tends to chip around the lightning port if the previous owner was clumsy with the charging cable.
Next Steps for Potential Buyers:
- Check the Front Bezel: Remember that Silver and Gold have white fronts; Space Gray and Red have black fronts. This changes how you watch video.
- Verify the Back: Ensure the glass isn't lifting. If the "color" looks bubbled, it means the battery might be swelling or the back was replaced with a cheap third-party part.
- Light Test: Shine a flashlight on the back glass. If you see a "rainbow" effect, it's original Apple glass. Fakes usually look flat and dull.
The iPhone 8 series might be getting older, but its design remains a high-water mark for Apple's craftsmanship. It was the last time a "standard" iPhone felt like a piece of precision-cut crystal.