What it is: With Apple releasing the iPhone X along with the iPhone 8, customers have more choices than ever.
The iPhone literally redefined the smartphone market. Back in 2007, smartphones came in different sizes and shapes where some offered keyboards that folded out while others like Blackberry simply displayed a constant row of keys at all times. The Apple introduced the iPhone with its touch screen interface and changed the smartphone market forever. The three former smartphone leaders (Nokia, Blackberry, and Microsoft) are now also-rans in the smartphone market.
Apple has now redefined the smartphone once more with the iPhone X, but they also released the iPhone 8 as well. Essentially the iPhone 8 is an improved version of the current iPhone so if you’re using an iPhone 6 or 7, the iPhone 8 will feel similar to use with TouchID on a Home button along with a similar price. For people who prefer the familiar, an iPhone 8 is a decent upgrade although not necessarily a must-have upgrade if you already have an iPhone 7.
The iPhone X costs $999 so it’s vastly more expensive than an iPhone 8. In addition, the iPhone X abandons the Home button and TouchID, replacing it with FaceID instead. Early reviews of the iPhone X say the iPhone X is like using the future of the smartphone. That means if you’re willing to pay the price (and wait to buy one), and you want to experiment with the future of the smartphone, you’ll want an iPhone X.
Just remember in another year, the next iPhone will appear and it will likely be an improvement on the iPhone X while the traditional design of the iPhone 8 gets dropped. Most likely, Apple will continue offering an improved iPhone X design while also selling lower cost iPhone 8 models as well to cater to the lower end market.
So the big decision is whether the price of getting an iPhone X is worth it over an iPhone 8? For some people the answer will be yes while for others, the answer will be no. The real question isn’t which iPhone model to buy but when.
The iPhone X will define the future of the smartphone, which means facial recognition, no Home button, and a full screen from edge to edge. Compared to the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 is now obsolete. It’s a perfectly fine smartphone. It’s just not the future. If you need the future now, get an iPhone X. If you want to wait, just hold on to your current iPhone especially if it’s an iPhone 7. If you have a really older iPhone such as an iPhone 6 or earlier, you’ll probably want to upgrade to the iPhone 8 and then in another year or two, migrate to the new and improved iPhone X.
The iPhone 8 is a phone for budget-conscious buyers today. The iPhone X is the future of the smartphone. You can get the iPhone X today or tomorrow but eventually, your next smartphone will be based on the iPhone X. Embrace the future when you can afford it. When you finally do, using TouchID or pressing a Home button will suddenly seem as antiquated as using a command-line interface of MS-DOS instead of a graphical user interface like Windows or macOS.
To read more about the differences between an iPhone X and an iPhone 8, click here.