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3 things the iPhone 8 can do that the iPhone X can't

Despite overshadowing the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, there are some things the iPhone X can't do.

Taylor Martin CNET Contributor
Taylor Martin has covered technology online for over six years. He has reviewed smartphones for Pocketnow and Android Authority and loves building stuff on his YouTube channel, MOD. He has a dangerous obsession with coffee and is afraid of free time.
Taylor Martin
2 min read
James Martin/CNET

Almost immediately after the announcement of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus , Apple seemingly took the wind of out the sails of the two newest iterations of its ever-popular iPhone . With a new design, a new display and a handful of new features, the iPhone X casts a large shadow over its regular iPhone linemates.

That said, the iPhone X can't do it all. Here are three things the iPhone 8 can do that the iPhone X can't.

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Be Gold

One thing you might notice about the new iPhones is the difference in color options. Last year, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were offered in Black, Jet Black, Silver, Gold and Rose Gold. Apple also released a (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 .

This year, your iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will only come in Silver, Space Gray and Gold. And, much to the chagrin of gold lovers, the iPhone X will only come in Space Gray and Silver.

Unlock with Touch ID

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James Martin/CNET

The display of the iPhone X extends from the top of the phone all the way to the bottom edge, leaving only a tiny "nudge" at the top to house all the sensors. This means the home button is no longer present, which also means Touch ID is not available on the iPhone X.

Instead, on the iPhone X, users will unlock their phones and authenticate Apple Wallet purchases using Face ID.

If you're a fan of Touch ID, however, you'll be happy to know both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus both still have their home buttons and Touch ID.

Fit into your old case

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The size and shape of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 or the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus are similar enough that your old case should still fit.

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Despite its larger display, the iPhone X actually has a smaller footprint than the iPhone 8 Plus. And it's just a hair larger than the iPhone 8. What this means is the iPhone X will not fit into any of your existing iPhone cases (save for a one-size-fits-all pouch).

Meanwhile, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (compare specs here) are close enough in size to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus that they should fit into most cases. 

The iPhone 8 is 0.01 inch (0.1 millimeter) taller, wider and thicker than the iPhone 7. The iPhone 8 Plus is 0.01 inch (0.1 millimeter) taller and thicker than the iPhone 7 Plus. While this doesn't guarantee every case will fit the newer models, these differences should be so minuscule that a large number of cases will be interchangeable between the corresponding iPhone models.

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