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What are all the differences between the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8? Why did Apple sell all of these phones at the same time? Are these increasingly vintage models still worth considering?

Please note that the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 all have been discontinued. This Q&A has been updated with the latest iOS support, configuration, and other details; and can be quite helpful for anyone buying or selling one of these models on the used market.

In recent years, Apple has sold a large number of iPhone models from different years at the same time. At one point, the company sold the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 all at the same time. This Q&A compares them accordingly, but has been modified with up-to-date information on each model.

There are thirty two different iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models. This doesn't even include color or capacity options, but merely the number of distinct models.

Carrier and geographic restrictions mean that not all models originally were in all locations, but there still are a lot of options no matter how you categorize them.

Economic Theory & The Paradox of Choice

Only those at the upper echelons of Apple could tell you for certain why Apple decided to sell so many models at the same time, but in basic economic theory, a company -- particularly one with or approaching monopoly power -- tries to hit as many points on the demand curve as possible to maximize its profits. This appears to be Apple's primary reason for selling so many models simultaneously.

This profit maximization strategy works well until consumers essentially feel stressed by having too many options and become "less likely to buy anything at all, and if they do buy, they are less satisfied with their selection." This outcome is commonly referred to as the "paradox of choice" in marketing.

Whether or not the bean counters at Apple ultimately will be successful with their strategy will be determined by the market, but so far, they don't seem to have stressed out customers too much and EveryiPhone.com is here to help you slog through the options. As always, we have documented all of these iPhones in detail. However, this Q&A primarily addresses collective differences for the sake of simplicity.

External Design & Functionality Differences

Although all of these models share the same general size and shape, it would be easy to mistake any of them for one another, but the iPhone 8 is more externally distinctive to the observant because of material differences.

Although there are tiny differences in size and weight, the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus each share thin all aluminum designs with softly rounded sides.

The iPhone 8, on the other hand, shares the general size and shape, but has an aluminum alloy case reinforced by steel with a glass front and back, which gives it a look that is more of a throwback to the iPhone 4, commonly considered to be the most attractive iPhone design.

In basic terms, each subsequent model is more durable and water resistant and adds more advanced input capability than its predecessor. The iPhone 8 also adds "wireless" -- or really inductive -- charging capability:

Apple boasts that the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models have the "most durable glass in a smartphone," but it still is likely that the 7000 series aluminum used by the iPhone 6s/6s+ and iPhone 7/7+ will be able to withstand more abuse in real world use.

Display Differences

All of these models have a multitouch "Retina HD" display and the same dimensions, resolutions, pixel density, and contrast ratio as well as dual domain pixels, but each line is better quality and more capable than its predecessor.

The display quality and functionality is different between models accordingly:

These displays all are bright and high quality, but perhaps most notably, the iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus have "wide color" support for more accuracy and the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus go a step further with Apple's "True Tone" technology which automatically adjusts the white balance of the display to best match the external lighting.

Housing Color & Material Differences

For the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus lines, Apple added new color options and reduced them again for the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus:

Note, again, that the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models have a glass front and back. The tint of the gold color also falls somewhere between the previous gold and "Rose Gold" options.

Camera Differences

The iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus all have dual cameras, but each model has cameras better than the one that came before it.

FaceTime Cameras

The later iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models have significantly better front-facing "FaceTime HD" cameras:

Most notably, the front-facing camera in the later models have larger sensors and wider aperture values, which allow for better light. They shoot higher resolution video, too.

iSight Cameras

The rear-mounted cameras, which Apple formerly called "iSight" but dropped this branding starting with the iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, have become better and better with each new model:

* The iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus models have dual rear cameras. There are two rear 12 megapixel cameras, one wide-angle with a f/1.8 aperture and another telephoto with a f/2.8 aperture. By combining an image from both cameras, these models emulate a 2x optical zoom as well as a 10x digital zoom. These models also have a portrait mode and the iPhone 8 Plus adds a "Portrait Lighting" feature, as well.

Perhaps the most substantial improvements in the rear camera in recent years is related to software rather than hardware, though. The iPhone 8 -- and especially the iPhone 8 Plus -- have substantially improved HDR and vastly improved low light performance because of the "Slow Sync" flash. For more details about how these software improvements can affect photos in the hands of a professional photographer, you also may find Austin Mann's review quite useful.

Identification Differences

It is easy to mistake any of these models for one another when they are not side-by-side.

Many of the devices can be identified by Model Number, which is listed on the back of the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, but not the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus (which have this identifier on the cardboard shipping box and within the iOS Settings app). Not all of the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus models can be individually identified in this way, either.

Nevertheless, for the purpose of this Q&A, it is sufficient to note that the following model numbers refer to these devices:

These devices also can be spotted uniquely by other identifiers.

Specifically, EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iLookup feature can precisely identify these iPhone models by Order Number (referred to as "Model" within the iOS "Settings" app under General > About), and their Serial Numbers, as well.

Battery Life Differences

The iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus generally have better battery life than the earlier iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus models.

However, it also is worth noting that the earlier iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus models actually have better battery life than the later models for phone calls and music playback:

Unsurprisingly, battery life is better for the larger "Plus" models, as they have physically larger batteries.

Wireless Connectivity & Data Differences

In basic terms, each line of iPhone models support more advanced wireless connectivity than their predecessors.

All of these devices support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with MIMO, GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), and UMTS/HSPA+/DC-HSDPA (850, 900, 1700/2100, 1900, 2100 MHz), as well as LTE/4G connectivity but support for specific bands varies. Later models support more advanced and faster LTE/4G.

For details, if desired, see these separate Q&As:

It also is worth noting that the iPhone 6/iPhone 6 only have basic support for Bluetooth 4.2. The iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus models fully support Bluetooth 4.2 and the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus support Bluetooth 5.0.

Internal Differences

The iPhone 6/iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models have substantially different architectures with each being more advanced and faster than their predecessors:

* The iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus models have 3 GB of RAM whereas the smaller iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models only have 2 GB of RAM.

† Apple re-introduced 32 GB variants of the iPhone 6, but not the iPhone 6 Plus, in February and March 2017 in the US (on AT&T GoPhone and Boost Mobile), in India, Europe, and other international markets in Space Gray. The company also introduced a 32 GB variant of the iPhone 6 in Gold in China and Taiwan. This reintroduced iPhone 6 was discontinued again on September 12, 2018.

‡ On September 10, 2019, Apple discontinued the 256 GB configurations for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus and introduced new 128 GB ones.

The Japan-specific iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models also are advertised to have support for Sony's FeliCa for contactless payments on iD and QuicPay as well as Suica support on JR East.

iOS Support Differences

Each of these iPhone models originally shipped with the then current version of the iOS:

The oldest iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models support iOS 12, but do not support iOS 13. or later versions of the iOS, including the current version.

All other models all support iOS 13, but do not support the Adjust Portrait Lighting and High-Key Mono photgraphy features, Dolby Atmos playback, and modest AR features (Motion Capture and People Occlusion).

All of these models except for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus support iOS 14 and iOS 15.

However, when running iOS 14 or later, none support the minor Car Keys, Location Anchors, Exposure Compensation, Burst Photos, QuickTake Video, and On-Device Dictation features. The iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models do support Spatial Audio and App Clips whereas the the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus do not.

When running iOS 15, none of these models support a large number of advanced features including Spatial Audio, Portrait Mode, Immersive Walking Instructions, Live Text in Photos, Live Text Translation, Visual Look Up, 3D Landmarks, Home Keys, and more.

Finally, the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus do not support iOS 16, the current version of the iOS. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus do support the current version of the iOS -- iOS 16 -- but they do not support many advanced features including Live Text, expanded Siri capabilities, improved Dictation, Adding medications via camera, Accessibility Detection, Live Captions, improved Depth of Field, and Visual Look Up. They do not support Apple Music Sing (Karaoke), either.

It also is not possible to install a version of the iOS earlier than the one that was pre-installed, and it is difficult even to "downgrade" to an earlier version after upgrading a compatible iPhone to a later version of the iOS.

iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, & iPhone 8 Comparison Chart

These differences as well as other details and US pricing information is summarized below:

* Note that these prices are for devices unlocked and paid in full upfront. Carrier subsidized options also were available.

For pricing in dozens of countries, see the "Global Prices" on the specs page for each iPhone as well as the "By Global Original Prices" section of EveryiPhone.com.

So, which is for me? Should I buy an iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, or iPhone 8? Are any of these models still worth considering?

Just compared to one another (and ignoring newer models), the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus models are the best of the four. They're (1) faster, (2) have higher quality displays, (3) have better cameras (and much better low light performance, in particular), (4) have convenient inductive charging, (5) have better support for augmented reality, and (6) still support the current version of the iOS.

However, the earlier models, especially the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus and iPhone 7/iPhone 7 Plus, still are capable (and the iPhone 6s/iPhone 6s Plus have a headphone jack), and it is likely that the iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus did not offer significant enough improvements to justify an upgrade if you already had one of these models when it was released originally (although these days, newer iOS support could make a difference).

On the used market at a discount price, all of these models remain well worth consideration. Because the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are furthest out-of-date in terms of operating system support, they are more likely to be incompatible with some apps than the other options, though. Because the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus no longer support the current version of the operating system, app support on these models will start to wane quickly from here, as well.

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models still support the current version of the iOS -- at least for one more year -- and have plenty of life left for those on a budget.

iPhone Purchase & Sale Options

There are no shortage of places to buy an iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, or iPhone 8. However, buying your iPhone from a quality company with an excellent track record will provide an ideal experience and save you money and time, also.

In the US, site sponsors Other World Computing and JemJem sell used and refurbished iPhone models with free shipping. On the other hand, if you need to sell an iPhone, A+ BBB-rated Cash for Your Mac and GoRoostr will buy your older iPhone with an instant quote and prompt payment.

In France, site sponsor MacWay sells new and reconditioned iPhone models from seven stores around France (two in Paris) and provides fast, express shipping throughout France, Belgium, and Luxembourg.

In Australia, site sponsor Mac City likewise has a variety of used iPhone models sold at low prices and available with a free warranty and fast shipping across Australia.

Please also see EveryiPhone.com's Ultimate iComparison feature to dynamically compare any iPhone model to any other iPod, iPhone, or iPad.

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