Apple premieres new promo video, '8 things to love about iPhone 8'

The eight points in the video include things like wireless charging, Portrait Lighting, augmented reality, "the most durable glass ever in a smartphone," and "the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone," the A11 Bionic. The clip uses unusually aggressive editing and music, including the song "Namesake" by Tunde Olaniran.

The commercial is part of a multi-pronged publicity blitz, including traditional ads and executive interviews. In a CNBC interview Tim Cook appeared at an Apple store, saying that both the iPhone 8 and the Apple Watch Series 3 are encountering regional sellouts — meaning that stock may still be available in some places.

Sales have been comparatively muted next to previous iPhone launches, likely because many people are waiting for the iPhone X, which goes up for preorder Oct. 27 and ships Nov. 3. That device will feature technologies like an edge-to-edge OLED display and Face ID, completely abandoning a home button and Touch ID.

It will also cost at least $999 however, and may be in short supply given rumors of a late production start. Apple has never before shipped a new iPhone in November.