In an odd change of tune for Apple, the new iPhone 8 can’t really be said to be this year’s “best iPhone ever”. Sure, it’s got a better processor, quality-of-life improvements like wireless charging and an ever-so-slightly refined design. Unfortunately, with the futuristic, face-reading iPhone X just around the corner, the iPhone 8 feels a little overshadowed.

While it won’t inspire mania among the enthusiast crowd like the iPhone X will, the iPhone 8 remains a solid package for those happy to play things safe.

A11 Bionic Processor; Premium feel;

Camera feels mediocore by Apple's standards; Expensive;

In an odd change of tune for Apple, the new iPhone 8 can't really be said to be this year's "best iPhone ever". Sure, it's got a better processor, quality-of-life improvements like wireless charging and an ever-so-slightly refined design.

A11 Bionic Processor; Premium feel

Camera feels mediocore by Apple's standards; Expensive

It's that time of the year again – Apple's firmly established yearly release cycle means today we assess the iPhone 8 Plus. The current flagship, though due to be usurped by the iPhone X very soon, the 8 Plus boasts a new A11 Bionic chip, a dual-camera set up plus a new glass back.

Great camera(s); Very fast; Good display

Uninspired design looks very dated now; Software is very samey; Price of 256GB model is right in iPhone X territory

Way before its September announcement and October release date, the iPhone 8 has been the talk of the tech industry pretty much the day after the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus was launched. Such is the state of the smartphone industry that there's barely a moments rest to enjoy the newly released units before...

"Familiarity breeds contempt," or so the old proverb goes, and never has that been more topical than for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. In any other year from the past decade, Apple's new smartphones would be the topic of endless fascination and discussion.

Wireless charging is convenient; Camera is excellent; A11 Bionic processor is fast; Battery life is solid

Bezels are big in comparison to other recent phones; Water-resistance falls short of rivals; Portrait Lighting can be hit-or-miss; Can you handle iPhone X envy

The iPhone 8 Plus should really be called the iPhone 7S Plus. Its updates don't warrant a full number bump, but they're welcome improvements that make the 8 Plus another great iPhone. Yes. For iOS users, your next best bet is the upcoming iPhone X .

Stellar performance; Great camera; fun Portrait Mode features; Wireless charging works well; Great display; Daylong battery

Expensive; Boring; dated front design; No headphone jack

Apple is at a fascinating crossroads. Its iPhone 8, out now worldwide, is easily the best smartphone the company has ever made. But it’s not the iPhone most people want to buy. That’s because in just about a month we’ll see the release of the iPhone X, a device that's a clear and pointed step...

The first place I took the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus was a sticky, late-summer wedding just outside of Austin. It turned out to be the perfect way to stress-test the new devices. The iPhones 8 have new cameras designed to hack it even on a drunken dance floor.

The world is going camera-first, and this is a kick-ass camera; The glass design is a big improvement; Wireless charging makes everything better

There's a lot of bezel on this phone; Next to the iPhone X, it already feels outdated; The iPhone 8 lets you do so much, but iOS 11 buries too much of it

Another year, another iPhone. That's usually the case with Apple's flagship smartphone – but this year is different. During its annual September keynote Apple actually revealed three iPhones: the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X.

A11 Bionic is a beast; Best camera we've seen on a smartphone; iOS 11 improves on everything great about iOS; Best iteration of the same design

Same design might bore some users; Glass back means it is more fragile (no matter how strong they claim it to be

Apple's latest iPhone 8 is supercharged by its new A11 Bionic chip, which does the heavy lifting for a series of major new camera features as well as making everything faster. It also packs iPad Pro's True Tone display and Fast Charging, and adds Qi wireless charging through its beautifully glossy...

New design is beautiful on the back with little changing up front; Great battery life in line with last year's iPhone 7; Speedy A11 Bionic chip enhances gaming; AR apps; New camera smarts capture better photos in low light and with better HDR; 60fps 4K recording captures impressively smooth; high...