# SPIE Conferences — user reviews > 52 indexed App Store user reviews of SPIE Conferences by SPIE, rated 3.80/5 from 9 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spie-conferences/id349678364/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spie-conferences/id349678364.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 5 · 4★ 1 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 2 ## Newest reviews (13 of 52) ### 3/5 — Better than nothing by a bit, but unrealiable *2019-04-15* The concept is great. Certainly makes scheduling easier. App is flaky, but this might be due to bad conference data files. At my current conference and I think another it would crash when I try to open the events section where the conferences are taking a good half dozen tries to get it to load. Once I get it, app works ok. It would be helpful to show authors, or at least the presenter name under each paper title instead of having to click through the tabs at the top of the page. Also, talks should all be listed chronologically in the “today” section, not in conference order. ### 3/5 — It's alright, I guess. *2017-01-03, version 6.7.1* The app won't sync my iPhone events calendar with "my schedule", meaning that I always have to cross reference the app with my calendar. Otherwise, it's OK. ### 3/5 — Roach motel *2015-02-07, version 6.2.1* Can you fix the maps/room locator. It's buggy, and like a roach motel you can get in, but not out. Without restarting the app, that is. ### 1/5 — Waste of time *2014-02-04, version 5.0.2* Good luck getting any useful info from this app. You can do one search and then you have to force quit it to do another one, if you're lucky. ### 1/5 — Keep crashing *2013-11-21, version 4.3.4* no medical imaging conference. Keep crashing ### 1/5 — Buggy *2013-05-03* I carefully went through and made a comprehensive schedule. Then it said an update was available. After the refresh, it added every single event to my schedule and decided to notify for every one. Last time I don't use paper. ### 1/5 — Poor design *2013-04-29* Every year this app disappoints. Great idea, can be helpful when it works but buyer beware. The search function is terrible. You can not search by session number. It will not sync between devices. The schedule you put in can spontaneously disappear. The general presentation is poor. Even on an iPad the ergonomics can be tough. ### 3/5 — Can't Log In *2013-02-15* The app won't allow me to log in to see the schedule I created on my PC. I even changed my password and rebooted my iPhone. I'm kind of disappointed. I think it worked last year. :( ### 1/5 — SPIE Conferences *2012-11-04, version 3.1.4* I notice that papers are missing from the App when compared with those displayed on the SPIE website. E.g. Spie Electronic Imaging 2013. The App is a bit risky therefore. ### 1/5 — Unusable *2012-08-13, version 3.1.4* Crashes immediately at startup. Unusable, unfortunately. ### 3/5 — Great idea, but app is in beta phase *2012-07-07, version 3.1.4* This app downloads the entire programme of any SPIE conference to your iPhone for offline viewing and searching. You can select talks and posters to your individual programme and there is a search for titles and authors. Unfortunately the search only works sporadeously, detailed information about contributions sometimes are blank and the app crashes regularly. The "what's up now" feature never worked on my iPhone 4S running the latest iOS. I give it 3 stars because the idea is good and the app is useable, but some bug fixing is needed to make this app as good as it could be. ### 1/5 — Doesn't work *2012-07-02, version 3.1.4* Doesn't show any conferences despite the fact that I am currently attending one. Maybe spend some of the advertising money on development. ### 4/5 — Working properly now *2012-01-27, version 3.1.3* Finally working properly even without Internet connection. Very useful in planning my schedule. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Worst app ever *2026-02-24* Whoever designed this has never tested or used the app. Totally useless , tough to organize talks to attend. Stupid design ### 1/5 — Can’t find talks. *2020-02-08, version 8.0.6* I tried searching for a talk I was referred to by putting words I knew were in the talk’s title in the search bar. Nothing useful came up. ### 1/5 — Crashes immediately on iOS 12.3.1 *2019-08-12, version 7.7.2* The app crashes as soon as I try to select the conference. Reinstall hasn’t fixed the issue. ### 1/5 — It was working till the day when the conference stared :-( *2019-08-12* Day before Optics and Photonics everything was great, but some new update to like or not ( what a stupid idea for science conference) it is crashing constantly. I had created a schedule for all presentations I wanted to attend and this morning all gone. Using the bulky printed program is a nightmare. Why are you making this app if it doesn't work when it is needed! Very disappointed ### 1/5 — Just crashes *2019-08-11, version 7.7.2* Launch, sign in, select event, crash. Waste of time. (Update: tech staff is aware, awaiting Apple approval of app update.) ### 1/5 — Crashes immediately on iOS 12.4 *2019-08-11, version 7.7.2* Well here I am at Optics and Photonics 2019 and the SPIE conf app crashes out of the gates - just see the splash screen and nothing else before it returns you to your desktop. This is version 7.7.2 on iOS 12.4. Marvelous. ### 1/5 — No longer works *2018-08-05, version 7.3.1* I just updated to the version of August 2018. It does not ever start - it just spins endlessly. Previous versions work well. I have an iPhone 7 with latest iOS. ### 1/5 — Needs work *2015-02-10* From the perspective of someone who would have liked to use this to find potential vendors it was not very helpful. Sure it gave me a (very long) list of potential vendors to talk with, but it would be helpful if it would have sorted them by booth number! I tried the export function so I could to my own sort, and only a few records came through. Back to paper... ### 1/5 — Not Working *2015-02-08, version 6.2.1* It does not load any content ### 1/5 — Stop making versions that crash *2014-06-21* Just like the original it simply crashes and does not function. Was somewhat useful in the past year or two but once again no longer functions at all ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Excellent app! *2023-10-25, version 13.2.4* The app developers at SPIE have done a great job on this app. I particularly like how it is intuitive to use and is easy to find information. I especially like how you can follow (add to your schedule) talks, events, and speakers. So I can easily follow various speakers or talks. It also has an amazing map, so when I was a bit lost in the building I could just click on the talk in the app and it showed me the exact location on the map. 5 stars from me! ### 5/5 — Works great *2023-08-23, version 13.2.3* This is the first of such event apps that actually works well and adds value over other solutions. There are sometimes crashes, but it always worked on the second try for me. ### 5/5 — Very useful tool! *2022-04-06* I downloaded the SPIE app for Photonics West and was very impressed at how useful it was in finding information, planning booth visits and viewing the event schedule. Also helped in connecting with other attendees. Will definitely use the app in planning future conferences! ### 5/5 — So much better! *2022-02-20, version 12.1.0* Wow the app has really changed and is so much better. Thanks for all the bug fixes! And how cool to meet the developer at Photonics West so we could have a real conversation about functionality. ### 5/5 — This apps a lifesaver *2019-08-12* Love the SPIE conferences as always. Would strongly recommend this app if you attend their events. ### 5/5 — Works for me *2013-05-03* A big improvement over the last last major version. Actually used the Evernote functionality. The Places menu and the ability to find rooms for any event was really helpful. ### 5/5 — Very useful *2010-08-28, version 0* Loved using this in San Diego at Optics+Photonics. ### 5/5 — Thrilled to have the new version *2010-07-31* The new version is much improved! Using the app offline would be a great addition, but the app seems stable and easier to use than previously. 5 for now, but it will have to keep improving to stay that way. ### 5/5 — great! *2010-03-11, version 0* good app ### 4/5 — iOS update prob killed it *2019-08-12* The app worked all week as I was preparing for Optics & Photonics in San Diego. Then I updated my iOS on Saturday and next time I tried to run SPIE it crashes. I know you’re frantically bug hunting. Good luck. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-06.*