iPhone 8 and 8 Plus Australian pricing
Apple and Australia's three biggest telecommunications providers -- Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone Australia -- have unveiled their iPhone 8 and 8 Plus pricing alongside pre-orders from Friday afternoon and launch on September 22.
Purchasing the iPhone 8 outright from Apple will set Australians back AU$1,079 for the 64GB model or AU$1,329 for 256GB, while the iPhone 8 Plus costs AU$1,229 for 64GB and AU$1,479 for 256GB, and are both available in silver, gold, and space grey.
The price tags are an increase from last year's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus; in addition, in the United States the 64GB iPhone 8 costs $699 and the 256GB model $849, while the 64GB iPhone 8 Plus costs $799 and the 256GB model $949.
Accordingly, even when taking into account the exchange rate, Australians are paying between $160 and $210 extra for the two iPhone 8 models, and $180 to $230 extra for the two iPhone 8 Plus models.
The iPhone 8 similarly costs more in the UK, and in New Zealand where it starts at NZ$1,249 and Singapore where the base iPhone 8 costs SG$1,148.
Minimum spend
Including handset repayments, the minimum spend for the new iPhones on each telco are:
MAXIMUM DATA INCLUSIONS
If you make your choices based on the highest possible data inclusions:
TELSTRA
On Australia's incumbent telco -- which last week updated its post-paid and prepaid plans with a media partnership with Foxtel -- the iPhones are available at the following price points including device repayments on its 24-month Go Mobile Swap phone-leasing plans:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$79 for 2GB data; AU$91 for 5GB data; AU$99 for 20GB data; AU$129 for 30GB data; AU$129 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$92 for 2GB data; AU$103 for 5GB data; AU$111 for 20GB data; AU$139 for 30GB data; AU$129 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$87 for 2GB data; AU$99 for 5GB data; AU$107 for 20GB data; AU$129 for 30GB data; AU$129 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$99 for 2GB data; AU$101 for 5GB data; AU$119 for 20GB data; AU$147 for 30GB data; AU$137 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
It costs slightly extra to pay the phone off in monthly instalments under Telstra's Go Mobile Plus plans:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$89 for 2GB data; AU$101 for 5GB data; AU$109 for 20GB data; AU$129 for 30GB data; AU$129 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$101 for 2GB data; AU$113 for 5GB data; AU$121 for 20GB data; AU$149 for 30GB data; AU$159 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$97 for 2GB data; AU$109 for 5GB data; AU$117 for 20GB data; AU$139 for 30GB data; AU$155 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$109 for 2GB data; AU$121 for 5GB data; AU$129 for 20GB data; AU$157 for 30GB data; AU$167 for 60GB data; and AU$199 for 100GB data
OPTUS
Optus on Friday announced an overhaul of its post-paid plans, and will be providing the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus for the following phone-leasing plan costs including handset repayments:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$64 for 1GB data; AU$80 for 7GB data; AU$90 for 12GB data; AU$100 for 40GB data; and AU$120 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$73 for 1GB data; AU$88 for 7GB data; AU$98 for 12GB data; AU$108 for 40GB data; and AU$125 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$70 for 1GB data; AU$85 for 7GB data; AU$95 for 12GB data; AU$105 for 40GB data; and AU$120 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$78 for 1GB data; AU$93 for 7GB data; AU$103 for 12GB data; AU$113 for 40GB data; and AU$130 for 100GB data
Paying the phones off over monthly instalments brings the plans to:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$75 for 1GB data; AU$90 for 7GB data; AU$100 for 12GB data; AU$110 for 40GB data; and AU$127 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$83 for 1GB data; AU$98 for 7GB data; AU$108 for 12GB data; AU$118 for 40GB data; and AU$135 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$80 for 1GB data; AU$95 for 7GB data; AU$105 for 12GB data; AU$115 for 40GB data; and AU$130 for 100GB data
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$88 for 1GB data; AU$103 for 7GB data; AU$113 for 12GB data; AU$123 for 40GB data; and AU$140 for 100GB data
Optus' two highest tiers also include 1GB and 1.5GB, respectively, of data to use per month on international roaming, and all plans pack Optus Sport and National Geographic subscriptions, and data-free streaming across Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Yes TV by Fetch. Netflix, Stan, and ABC iview.
VODAFONE AUSTRALIA
Vodafone, which in August refreshed its Red post-paid mobile plans, is providing the new iPhones at the following pricing points for the 36-month repayment period:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$59.97 for 2GB; AU$69.97 for 6GB; AU$69.97 for 16GB; AU$89.97 for 22GB; AU$109.97 for 32GB; and AU$129.97 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$66.91 for 2GB; AU$76.91 for 6GB; AU$86.91 for 16GB; AU$96.91 for 22GB; AU$116.91 for 32GB; and AU$136.91 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$64.13 for 2GB; AU$74.13 for 6GB; AU$84.13 for 16GB; AU$94.13 for 22GB; AU$114.13 for 32GB; and AU$134.13 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$71.08 for 2GB; AU$81.08 for 6GB; AU$91.08 for 16GB; AU$101.08 for 22GB; AU$121.08 for 32GB; and AU$141.08 for 50GB
For the 24-month device repayment period, the phones cost:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$74.95 for 2GB; AU$84.95 for 6GB; AU$94.95 for 16GB; AU$104.95 for 22GB; AU$124.95 for 32GB; and AU$144.95 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$85.37 for 2GB; AU$95.37 for 6GB; AU$105.37 for 16GB; AU$115.37 for 22GB; AU$135.37 for 32GB; and AU$155.37 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$81.20 for 2GB; AU$91.20 for 6GB; AU$101.20 for 16GB; AU$111.20 for 22GB; AU$131.20 for 32GB; and AU$151.20 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$91.62 for 2GB; AU$101.62 for 6GB; AU$111.62 for 16GB; AU$121.62 for 22GB; AU$141.62 for 32GB; and AU$161.62 for 50GB
And lastly, for the 12-month repayment period, the phones cost:
- iPhone 8 64GB: AU$119.91 for 2GB; AU$129.91 for 6GB; AU$139.91 for 16GB; AU$149.91 for 22GB; AU$169.91 for 32GB; and AU$189.91 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 256GB: AU$140.75 for 2GB; AU$150 for 6GB; AU$160.75 for 16GB; AU$170.75 for 22GB; AU$190.75 for 32GB; and AU$210.75 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 64GB: AU$132.41 for 2GB; AU$142.41 for 6GB; AU$152.41 for 16GB; AU$162.41 for 22GB; AU$182.41 for 32GB; and AU$202.41 for 50GB
- iPhone 8 Plus 256GB: AU$153.25 for 2GB; AU$163.25 for 6GB; AU$173.25 for 16GB; AU$183.25 for 22GB; AU$203.25 for 32GB; and AU$223.25 for 50GB
All Vodafone plans include AU$5 a day international roaming; free roaming in New Zealand; and the Vodafone 30-day network satisfaction guarantee.
Apple unveiled the new iPhones in the US this week, spruiking the A11 Bionic processor; six-core CPU built to handle artificial intelligence (AI) tasks; a 3D gaming and machine-learning capable GPU; a smarter Siri; series of augmented reality (AR) apps; support for LTE-Advanced; and wireless charging based on Qi, with chargers to be build throughout cars, retailers, and airports.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 8 comes with a 12-megapixel camera and the 5.5-inch 8 Plus with dual cameras, with both featuring Portrait Lighting changes with real-time analysis via machine learning.
The iPhone X, unveiled at the same time, has disposed with the home button; integrated FaceID facial recognition, with the face data not being sent to a server and instead being stored on a chip; a Super Retina and HDR 10 display with Dolby Vision, True Tone, and 3D Touch support; animated emojis; dual 12-megapixel TrueDepth cameras with f 1.8 and 2.4 apertures; and a quad-LED flash.
According to CEO Tim Cook, Apple is aiming for the "next decade" with the iPhone X.
"The first iPhone revolutionised the first decade of the technology. Ten years later, it's only fitting to reveal a product that will set the stage for the next decade," Cook said during the launch.
The iPhone X will launch on November 3, with telco pricing to be revealed closer to that date.