Watch Essentials vs IMAX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Watch Essentials
Learn the fundamentals of watchmaking through an engaging course. Explore topics like terminology, parts, operation, materials, complications, and history. Unlock new lessons and build your own virtual watch.
- Watchmaking course
- Terminology
- External parts
- Operation
- Materials
- Introduction to complications
- Build virtual watch
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Discover the essentials of a watch by following the Watch Essentials course! Through the fun and educational steps developed by the Foundation High Horology, let yourself be guided to develop your watchmaking knowledge. Whether you are a watchmaking professional, a lover of beautiful watches or interested in unraveling the mystery of a watch movement, FHH Academy is made for you. This app will immerse you in several subjects: - Terminology - External parts - Operation - Materials - Introduction to complications - Decorations - History - Market players - Culture of excellence Every successful step will unlock a new one. Even better, you will earn and collect watch components to create your own virtual watch!
IMAX
Discover upcoming films, documentaries, and live events. Save your favorite theaters to stay updated on showtimes and release dates. Access exclusive content like cast messages and digital art.
- Save favorite theaters
- View showtimes and release dates
- Browse film and event listings
- Access exclusive cast messages
- Download exclusive IMAX Art
- Explore capsule collections
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From Hollywood blockbuster releases to exclusive one-night-only artist performances, IMAX is personalizing your theatre experience with the help of our app: - Save your home theatre and stay updated on what’s playing on our screens - Learn release dates for films, documentaries, and amazing, one-night-only IMAX Live experiences - Browse our limited-edition capsule collections celebrating the history of our cameras and our filmmaking heritage - Receive exclusive downloadable messages from cast and crew, and save our exclusive IMAX Art on your phone Download today to be in the best seat tomorrow. Terms of Use: https://www.imax.com/content/terms-service Privacy Policy: https://www.imax.com/content/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Watch Essentials at 88% against IMAX's 35%. Watch Essentials also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 19). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. IMAX sells 19 one-off in-app purchases. Watch Essentials asks for nothing beyond the download.
Watch Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 32 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Watch Essentials's written reviews are positive against 35% of IMAX's.
Watch Essentials ships an update every 5 weeks, IMAX monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Watch Essentials | IMAX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (21 ratings) — better | 2.3 (32 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.4% of reviews — better | 34.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 21 | 32 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 154 MB | 124 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie | IMAX Corporation |
Customer experience
Watch Essentials
IMAX
Bugs and requests
Watch Essentials
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
IMAX
Reported bugs
10 issues- App freezes on splash screen or black screen
- Content loading error: 'There was an error loading the content'
- Unable to retrieve content in certain regions
- Login failures and authentication issues
- App crashes after initial use
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- Control center down arrow continuously flashing
- Error messages appear without actual issues
- Theater location search returns no results for existing locations
- Password validation rejects secure keychain-generated passwords
- Movie not displaying in expected 3D format despite listing
Requested features
18 requests- Add option to purchase movies instead of renting
- Expand content library with major films (Dune, Oppenheimer, Interstellar, TRON, Lord of the Rings)
- Subscription model for unlimited access
- Update location database with new theaters
- Add support for multiple favorite theaters
Show 13 moreShow fewer
- Include full-length IMAX movies in 1.43 aspect ratio
- Add 3D content for all available titles
- Implement search functionality
- Show rental duration and movie length information
- Add trailers for all paid content
- Download feature for offline viewing
- Monthly or yearly subscription option
- Shared viewing experience with other users
- Hand visibility toggle for low-light viewing
- Support for more countries and regions
- Guest login option without account creation
- Movie recommendations and sorting options
- Theater kiosk ordering integration
In-app purchases
Watch Essentials
No in-app purchases
IMAX
- Hail Columbia$1.99
- Fires of Kuwait$1.99
- Pandas$2.99
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- Superpower Dogs$3.99
- A Beautiful Planet$4.99
- Journey to the South Pacific$4.99
- Superpower Dogs [3D]$4.99
- Pandas [3D]$4.99
- Deep Sky [3D]$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep7: Human$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep3: Deserts$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep4: Freshwate$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep5: Forrests$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep6: Extremes$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep1: Coasts$4.99
- Planet Earth 3: Ep2: Ocean$4.99
- A Beautiful Planet [3D]$5.99
- Journey to the South Pacific$5.99
- Deep Sky$6.99
