What’s the other name for a Red Apple? Other than the restaurant chain we all love? Yep, it’s iPhone (PRODUCT)RED™.
Officially launched in the US of America back in mid-April, the Turbo Teen swam across the Atlantic and reached Pakistan within two months and in my hands a month back. Here’s what I love and loathe about the device.
iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED™ is famous for donating a percent of (Product) Red devices & accessories in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS to the Global Fund. But does this mean the items are expensive to buy? No. They are priced the same and anyone saying otherwise is simply robbing you.
So back to iPhone 8 (Product) Red.
The Looks & Feels
Let me get one thing out of the way, it’s not fully red. The front is Black, while the sides and backside are Red.
The sides, to be exact are matte finished as you may notice from the images here, whereas the backside is glossy, glassy and if you are thinking it’s one of the scarlet shades, stop right there, its one of the shades where you say “bloody red”. So essentially, it’s a hue closer to Ruby than Scarlet, and I hope I was able to get the Ruby shade in the images.
The device feels like you never want it to smudge, scratch or scar. You basically feel like a parent of an expensive & beautiful device that must never get hurt. But you also feel proud of owning such a pristine looking handset.
The buttons are all in the comfortable spots where you expect them to be. The device is not on the heavy side nor does it boast any bulk. In fact, for my tiny feminine hands, it’s a very comfortable fit. Not sure if iPhone 8 Plus would have had the same comfort level as this one.
I’m giving ‘Looks & Feels’ a healthy pat on the back but slightly disappointed on the Ruby shade… expected a Ferrari Scarlet as I saw on Apple website. But, again, I have tried my best to get pictures from an angle the phone looks more natural than fixed (apologies for the meh background and terrible lighting, my studio lights kept falling on my head)
The Specs & Features of iPhone 8
Yea so we all expect great things from iPhone 8 but seriously, don’t.
You can expect good and stable things to come from your purchase of iPhone 8 because of the…
- A11 Bionic chip with M11 compressor (faster processor to support AR experiences)
- 4.7-inch diagonal widescreen (great for Games, Movies and Face Time)
- Wireless Charging (need I mention the usefulness?)
- 64 / 256 GB Models with 2GB RAM (enough room for songs, messages, movies and photos)
- Retina HD with True Tone, 3D Touch, Apple Pay, Touch ID (all useful stuff if you know how and when to use)
- 12MP lens with 4K video recording functionality
- 7MP front-end camera (for those selfies)
- Bluetooth 5.0 (for a stable connectivity)
- 1,821 mAh (may not withstand 24 hours of full usage, unless its on Airplane mode)
- Rated IP67 (not for dust storms & swimming Olympics, just for a dip and maybe no regular dusting)
The changes you will most glaringly notice between older models and iPhone 8 is the Touch ID button, because you can’t press it anymore. It’s got a haptic sensory feature which essentially means that your finger/thumb will feel something under the skin and that’s how you know the device has registered a response from you.
If you are into wireless charging, you will no doubt love that iPhone 8 comes with this feature. Of course, the introduction of it means that you will now need to get a charging plate for it.
I would give iPhone 8 a thumbs-up in the ‘specs & features’ department because Apple has simply managed to get everything right and if you buy the device, maybe it will seem boring to you if you are upgrading from iPhone 7, but in all honesty it’s a keeper and you will be happy with everything it has to offer.
Prices & Accessories
The shelf price of iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED™ in Pakistan is varying from seller to seller, but if you are looking to buy a brand new iPhone which is not activated and is under full warranty, do what I did… I visited the TechStudio.pk store and got a feel of their people and then bought it from them.
TechStudio.pk delivers nationwide, so you don’t need to be in a particular city, simply place an order online. They also keep accessories and I recommend a screen protector and a case. But to each his own, you can even check out All My Tech page for accessories.
As for getting a wireless charger, we have experience with RAVPower and Belkin, and luckily both are available for an online / offline purchase on TechStudio.pk
I, however, did not buy a charging plate, just a RhinoShield protector for the screen and a Caseology cover for the back and sides. You will notice the screen protector is already visible in the pictures, the case however is only part of one picture.
The iPhone 8 box includes the usual stuff (apart from the device); Lightening Cable to USB, EarPods with Lightning Connector, Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter, USB Power Adapter and some documentation.
Verdict
Minus the missing earphone jack and the Ruby colour, I’m delighted with my purchase and have encased it in a Caseology cover & a RhinoSheild protector, so I don’t go breaking or cracking my device. Besides, if the device is fast, gets prompt updates, has an intuitive UI, great apps, is FaceTime enabled, solid to the core and under warranty… I’d say it’s a great investment.
iPhone 8 (PRODUCT)RED™ Image Gallery
