Samsung Gear 360 vs Microsoft Surface
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Samsung Gear 360
Create, view, and share immersive 360-degree content directly from your smartphone. Connect to your camera for remote shooting, previewing, and managing files. Easily share your creations on social media.
- Connect to Gear 360 camera
- Remote shooting and preview
- View and save 360 content
- Share to social media
- Check camera status and settings
- Sync Date & Time and GPS data
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****** End of Service Notice ****** From 1 August 2020, app updates and compatibility support on new phones will be discontinued. Even after the update discontinuation date, you can continue to use the existing app. However, it may be difficult to provide support with regard to new bugs or third-party service interworking changes and new features and services through app update, and it may be difficult to provide compatibility for devices other than those listed in “Compatible OS version”, “Compatible models” below. · Compatible OS version: iOS 10.0 to iOS 13.0 · Compatible models: iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS Max, XS, XR, X, 8, 8 Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE Please note that some features of the app are available in Gear 360 related PC programs (Gear 360 ActionDirector, Mac program name: Gear 360). PC programs related to Gear 360 can be downloaded until 28 February 2024, and you can continue to use PC programs that have already been downloaded after the above date, but please note that update support (bug fixes or third-party service interworking changes, provision of new features and services) will be discontinued. ************************************************************************************************ Connect with the Samsung Gear 360 app to enjoy various features. With the Samsung Gear 360 app, you can create, view, and share 360 content on your smartphone, and enjoy various features by connecting Gear 360. ※ This app is compatible with Gear 360 (2017). Main features : - Connect to and disconnect from Gear 360. - Remote shooting and preview the recording. - View content and save files to a smartphone. - Share the created content to social media services. - Check Gear 360 status and settings. - Sync Date & Time, GPS data. Gear 360 lets you easily create, view and share your memorable experience with high quality 360 videos and photos in a simple fashion. Support Device List : iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS Max, XS, XR, X, 8, 8+, 7, 7+, 6S, 6S+, SE. ※ Requires iOS 10.0 or later. ※ Some features provided by the Samsung Gear 360 application are only available when Samsung Gear 360 is connected to your mobile device. ※ Supported devices vary depending on your region, operator and device brand. Please check compatible smartphone list at the official Homepage. ※ Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Microsoft Surface
Manage and personalize your audio devices. Update firmware, view device information, and adjust settings like equalizer and volume. Connect and control devices, and access tutorials for assistance.
- Update earbuds and headphones
- View and change device info
- View battery and volume
- Personalize settings
- Change equalizer settings
- Control connected devices
- Reset devices
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Here are the things you can do: • Update your earbuds and headphones • View and change device info • View battery info and volume level • Personalize settings • Change equalizer settings to get the sound you want • Control which devices are connected • Change language settings • Reset your earbuds and headphones to the factory settings • Watch tutorial videos • Send us feedback
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Microsoft Surface at 3.1 against Samsung Gear 360's 1.8. Microsoft Surface also leads on review sentiment (27% vs 12%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Microsoft Surface holds the better App Store score, 3.1 against 1.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 90 and 172 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 12% of Samsung Gear 360's written reviews are positive against 27% of Microsoft Surface's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Samsung Gear 360 | Microsoft Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.8 (90 ratings) | 3.1 (172 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 12.4% of reviews | 26.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 90 | 172 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 11.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 89 MB | 70 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Microsoft Corporation |
Customer experience
Samsung Gear 360
Microsoft Surface
User reviews
Samsung Gear 360
From 90 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Great 360 experience
- 👍 Works well with iOS
- 🚀 Smooth video stabilization
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and disconnections
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with iOS 13 and newer devices
- 🐛 Buggy firmware updates
- 🐛 Live streaming not working on iOS
- 🐛 Inability to save/download high-resolution photos and videos
Microsoft Surface
From 172 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎵 Excellent audio quality and crisp sound
- 🎚️ Useful EQ customization capabilities
- 📱 Smooth out-of-box setup experience
- 🔗 Hardware quality is solid
- ⚡ Quick app loading when functional
Room to improve
- 🐛 App frequently fails to detect paired headphones
- 🔌 Constant connection and pairing issues
- 😤 Poor reliability and stability
- 🚫 App becomes completely broken after updates
- 🔐 Authentication and login failures
Bugs and requests
Samsung Gear 360
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes when trying to connect to the camera
- Unable to update firmware on iOS devices
- Gear 360 not detected by the app on iOS
- Saved media not showing up in the app's gallery
Requested features
4 requests- Live streaming support for iOS
- Ability to edit and crop 360 photos/videos within the app
- Improved compatibility with older Gear 360 models
- Better firmware update process
Microsoft Surface
Reported bugs
11 issues- App stuck on scanning/searching for headphones
- Bluetooth connection drops during calls
- App won't recognize headphones even when paired
- Authentication hangs on 'Authenticating' screen
- Constant red light indicator issues
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- Firmware updates cause connection degradation
- App fails to load when headphones are connected
- Pairing mode limbo after power cycling
- Earbud chirping and constant disconnections
- Uneven battery drain between earbuds
- App incompatibility with newer iOS versions
Requested features
9 requests- MacOS app support
- iPad landscape mode support
- Customizable gesture controls
- Better device switching between paired devices
- More EQ preset options
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- Xbox wireless compatibility
- Ability to disable automatic noise cancellation on calls
- Case battery level indicator
- Computer/device management features
In-app purchases
Samsung Gear 360
No in-app purchases
Microsoft Surface
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Samsung Gear 360 free?
Is Microsoft Surface free?
Which has better reviews, Samsung Gear 360 or Microsoft Surface?
Do Samsung Gear 360 or Microsoft Surface have ads?
Which is updated more often, Samsung Gear 360 or Microsoft Surface?
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