The iPhone 8 is yet to receive an official existence. But the tech world is quite excited to know what does Apple have this year to take on the competition. In all that anticipation, we are here figuring out the best-suited alternative to the next iPhone.
Some early media reports have suggested that the upcoming iPhone will include most of the trending features -- starting from a fullscreen touch panel to a dual-camera setup. The handset is also believed to be future-ready to some extent, with hardware tweaks specific for augmented reality (AR) and wireless charging. Further, it will certainly be the most advanced iPhone to date -- with the presence of a 10nm Apple A11 chip, all new motion processor and more memory than of its predecessors. But with which of the existing offerings would it compete in 2017?
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
In the list of alternatives to Apple's upcoming iPhone 8, recently launched Samsung Galaxy Note 8 comes on top. The new Note has an edge-to-edge, 6.3-inch Super AMOLED display that includes Samsung's in-house Infinity Display technology that works with 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Under the hood, the hardware is powered by a 10nm octa-core processor that accompanies six gigs of memory and up to 256GB of storage.
Also read: Five features that distinguish Samsung Galaxy Note 8 from Galaxy S8
The smartphone also has Android Nougat and is certainly upgradable to the latest 'Oreo' version. Besides, the newest Galaxy model comes equipped with a dual, 12-megapixel camera setup that is capable of offering 2x optical zoom and an enhanced bokeh effect through an f/1.7 lens. All these advanced features make the Galaxy Note 8 a strong alternative to the iPhone 8.
Essential PH-1
The next closest alternative to the new iPhone model is the Essential PH-1. This new smartphone is designed by Andy Rubin, the man who co-invented Android. Rubin's innovative mind can evidently be seen from the first glimpse of the Essential smartphone that sports a 5.7-inch display -- similar to the screen visible in some iPhone 8 renders. Apart from the fullscreen panel on the front, the handset has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 chipset, 128GB storage and a titanium framed build. There is also a magnetic port on the rear that allows users to add snap-on accessories such as a 360-degree camera. The smartphone runs on Android 7.0 and is scheduled to receive an 'Oreo' update later this year. This whole combination makes the Essential phone a reasonable alternative to the new iPhone version.
Nokia 8
In the race of competitive models, Finnish company HMD Global has recently brought the Nokia 8 to the ground. The freshest Nokia model has a Snapdragon 835, spatial audio technology OZO audio and an always-on 5.3-inch QHD display. Additionally, there is a dual-camera system with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash. The smartphone is also a part of the list of 'Oreo' compatible handsets and is currently based on Android Nougat. All this brings the Nokia 8 right to the family of iPhone 8 alternatives.
OnePlus 5
The last handset that comes as a major alternative to the iPhone 8 is the OnePlus 5. The new OnePlus flagship doesn't have an edge-to-edge display like the Galaxy Note 8, neither a 360-degree OZO audio like the Nokia 8 or a titanium frame like the Essential phone. Nevertheless, it has the largest memory space with 8GB of RAM and specs like a Snapdragon 835 and up to 128GB of storage to be a decent substitute of the next iPhone. The OnePlus model also includes twin 16-megapixel camera sensors with 1.6x optical zoom and probably the world's fastest fingerprint sensor that all jointly work as an icing on the cake.
As Apple hasn't announced any details about the iPhone 8 so far, it isn't possible to pick one option from the available collection. But nevertheless, if you can't wait for the public launch of the new Apple device, you can choose any of the above models and get an experience closer to the next iPhone.
