Apple’s Latest Products Get Rare Mixed-Bag Reviews - Bloomberg

For a different perspective, see iPhone 8 Is World's Fastest Phone (It's Not Even Close) (Tom's Guide)

"To be sure, Apple products have gotten bad reviews in the past, only to sell like hotcakes later. And reviewers haven't yet tested the iPhone X, which is expected to be the main object of desire when it becomes available in November. Early sales in Asia may indicate that first-adopters are holding out for the iPhone X, and that pre-orders for the iPhone 8 may be lagging behind its predecessor.

As the only models likely to be readily available in stores ahead of the holidays, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are great phones, but their $699 to $949 prices make them competitors for rivals' top-end models, like Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy S8. The problem is that these iPhones look dated compared with Samsung’s top-end offerings, and Apple’s own forthcoming iPhone X. Perceptually, the 8-series handsets don't offer significant upgrades over last year’s models -- or even the ones before -- which are still being sold by Apple at lower prices. The main additions are new camera features, a wireless charging mechanism already present on competing phones, and faster chips."

Apple’s Latest Products Get Rare Mixed-Bag Reviews - Bloomberg