Comparison

holochan vs The Public Variable

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

holochan

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iPhone 1: Start the app while tilting the iPhone 90 degrees left, then set the iPhone to the MR glass "Dangla". 2: You can check the menu by looking at Dangla. When only planetary motion is displayed or the menu does not display well in the field of view, tapping the left button of Dangla with the front facing will display the menu in the front. 3: With the body facing to the right, move the sphere cursor at the center of the screen to the right edge [System menu] of the three menus, and tap the right button (hereinafter "Select"). 4: Next, Select the [Screen size] at the left end of the menu, and a list of compatible models will appear. Select the iPhone model you are using, and then Select [Decision] to confirm the model you are using. 5: Select the scene you want to experience from the [MR] [VR] [AR] that on main menu, and enjoy the application. 6: While using the app, tap the left button of Dangla at any time to display the menu. The functions and roles of each menu are as follows. ***Menu immediately after app start or restart*** [Restart] Returns to the state(menu) immediately after the application start [front] Display the content (SolarSystem) to the Straight ahead. [System menu] Move to main menu ***Main menu*** [ScreenSize] Select the model from iPhone 6S to XS MAX ※ In order to fit the size of the iPhone screen to the size of the mirror and lens, the screen display will be relatively shrunk as the LCD screen size of the iPhone increases. [Two eyes / Single eye] Switch the single eye / both eyes mode [IPD] Correct inter-pupil distance by program [MR] Mixed reality mode, background image is displayed superimposed with live-action image through the half mirror [VR] Virtual reality mode, both solar system and background space display 3D produced images [AR] Augmented reality mode, background image is displayed superimposed with live-action image through iPhone camera [Startup setting] (a preliminary menu for developers) iPad 1: Start the app while tilting the iPad 90 degrees left. Since the iPad can not be put in a Dangla, please enjoy using single eye mode alone. (Explained in 5 :) 2: Menu is displayed on the screen of iPad. If you only see the planet or if the menu does not look well, tapping the lower left corner of the screen while facing the front will bring the menu to the front. 3: Point the your body to the right, place the sphere cursor on the [System menu] on the far right, and tap the lower right of the screen (hereinafter "Select"). 4: Next, Select the [Screen Size] at the left end of the menu to display the list of compatible models. Select (Not [Maximum XS-Max])[Minimum 6S-7-8 Full Screen] and Select [Decision]. 5: Next, Select [Two eyes / Single eye], and when the screen changes, Select [Single eye]. 6: While using the app, tap the lower left of the iPad screen at any time to display the menu. The function and role of each menu are the same as the above iPhone. 【please note】 ・ Do not use this app on public roads or places with many people. ・ Please be sure to play small children always in the safe with parents. ・ Don't aim "Dangla” at the sun. ・ Don't use in the two eyes mode if you are under the age of 13 in the developmental stage of vision ・ We do not compensate for the damage caused by using this application directly or indirectly. Distributor https://dangla.jp/

About

The Public Variable

Experience a unique augmented reality theatre piece exploring perspective and communication. This evolving digital space will eventually host the full production, offering an immersive artistic experience accessible from anywhere.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality theatre
  • Perspective exploration
  • Immersive digital space
  • Evolving content
  • Accessible anywhere
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I'm building a feature length AR experience, scene by scene. A piece of theatre about perspective, and how we stopped hearing each other. And how we might fix it. And, through this platform, a piece of theatre you can experience wherever you are. This space will be updating and expanding until it eventually contains the entire piece, and more. Your support couldn't mean more than it would right now. publicvariabletheatre.org

Screenshots

holochan4 screens
The Public Variable4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: The Public Variable at every 2 weeks against holochan's every 32 months. holochan's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

holochan ships an update every 32 months, The Public Variable every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
holochan versus The Public Variable: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterholochanThe Public Variable
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 32 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size447 MB1.4 GB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperHologram Co.,Ltd.John Sullivan

In-app purchases

None

holochan

No in-app purchases

None

The Public Variable

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is holochan free?
holochan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Public Variable free?
The Public Variable is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do holochan or The Public Variable have ads?
Neither holochan nor The Public Variable shows ads.
Which is updated more often, holochan or The Public Variable?
holochan ships an update every 32 months, and The Public Variable every 2 weeks. Most recently, holochan was updated on October 2, 2026 and The Public Variable on October 12, 2026.

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