# Sennheiser Smart Control vs Microsoft Surface

The clearest difference is rating: Sennheiser Smart Control at 3.4 against Microsoft Surface's 3.2. Sennheiser Smart Control also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 159). Microsoft Surface's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Sennheiser Smart Control holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sennheiser Smart Control has 1.5K ratings behind it against 159, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of Sennheiser Smart Control's written reviews are positive against 26% of Microsoft Surface's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Sennheiser Smart Control ships an update monthly, Microsoft Surface every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sennheiser Smart Control | Microsoft Surface |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.4 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sennheiser-smart-control/id1408526071/reviews)** | [3.2 (159 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-surface/id1476329686/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 159 |
| Positive reviews | 23.3% of reviews | **25.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 329 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonova Consumer Hearing GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1590168100) | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) |

## What reviewers say

### Sennheiser Smart Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sennheiser-smart-control/id1408526071)

Effortlessly control and personalize your Sennheiser headphones and AMBEO Soundbar. Features include tailored audio with Sound Check, location-based sound adaptation with Sound Zones, and easy access to noise cancellation and transparent hearing.

**Highlights:** Effortless sound control, Personalize audio experience, Sound Check for individual hearing, Sound Zones for location-based settings, Noise Cancellation and Transparent Hearing, User accounts for device settings transfer, Software and firmware updates

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless connectivity
- 👍 Intuitive user interface
- 🎨 Customizable sound settings
- 💡 Useful features like sound zones

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes
- 🔌 Unreliable Bluetooth connectivity
- 🔍 Difficult to find/connect devices
- 🔧 Buggy firmware updates
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive navigation

**Reported bugs**

- App unable to find/connect to paired headphones
- EQ settings not saving properly
- Firmware update process frequently fails
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Option to disable touch controls
- Ability to turn off ANC and transparency mode
- More granular EQ controls
- Persistent settings across power cycles
- Widgets for quick access to common functions


### Microsoft Surface

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-surface/id1476329686)

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.

**Highlights:** Update earbuds and headphones, View and change device info, View battery and volume, Personalize settings, Change equalizer settings, Control connected devices, Reset devices

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎵 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- MacOS app support
- iPad landscape mode support
- Customizable gesture controls
- Better device switching between paired devices
- More EQ preset options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sennheiser Smart Control free?

Sennheiser Smart Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Microsoft Surface free?

Microsoft Surface is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Sennheiser Smart Control or Microsoft Surface?

Sennheiser Smart Control is rated higher. Sennheiser Smart Control averages 3.4 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Microsoft Surface averages 3.2 from 159 ratings.

### Do Sennheiser Smart Control or Microsoft Surface have ads?

Neither Sennheiser Smart Control nor Microsoft Surface shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sennheiser Smart Control or Microsoft Surface?

Sennheiser Smart Control ships an update monthly, and Microsoft Surface every 2 months. Most recently, Sennheiser Smart Control was updated on September 23, 2026 and Microsoft Surface on September 19, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*