Comparison

Sam Smart TV Remote vs Sphinx

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

Head to head
About

Sam Smart TV Remote

Control your Samsung Smart TV with your iPhone. This app offers an intuitive virtual remote, quick app access, and the ability to cast photos and videos from your library. Mirror your phone's screen wirelessly to your TV.

Highlights
  • Intuitive virtual remote
  • Quick app and channel access
  • Cast photos and videos
  • Wireless screen mirroring
  • Search for movies and shows
Features
Read full description

Connect and control your Samsung Smart TV remote with your iPhone using our lightning fast controller app and can use as second remote in a matter of seconds. Use our Apps feature to search for your favorite movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos. This app also allows you to cast photos and videos from your library directly onto your Samsung Smart TV remote, making sharing your favorite photos and videos with your friends and family easier than ever. Swap your old remote for one that will never break, that you'll never lose, and can do so much more than just control your Samsung Smart TV remote Features: + Intuitive virtual remote. + Quick access to your favorite apps and channels. + Cast feature: Cast media directly from library. + Mirroring features: Allows a phone, tablet wirelessly display on another Smart TV device screen Premium Subscriptions Terms & Conditions: - Subscribed users have unlimited use of the Remote and access to all of its Premium features, without ads. - Non-subscribed users can use each Premium feature once a day. - Users can subscribe to two different plans: Weekly and Monthly auto-renewing subscriptions; or purchase a Lifetime remote for which they will receive all updates and new features forever. - Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is disabled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hour prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of renewal. - Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of Use: http://uniremotelabs.com//terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: http://uniremotelabs.com//privacy-policy/ Any questions? Contact us: support@uniremotelab.com DISCLAIMER: This is not an official Samsung app, but rather a support tool developed independently to enhance the experience for Samsung users.

About

Sphinx

This app helps you regain control of your screen time by locking distracting applications. Instead of simply ignoring timers, you solve engaging puzzles to access your apps, with increasing difficulty for repeated unlocks. It's designed for privacy, keeping your app usage and selections on your device.

Highlights
  • Lock selected apps for set durations
  • Solve brain puzzles to unlock apps
  • Increasing puzzle difficulty for repeated unlocks
  • Offline puzzle solving
  • No "ignore" or "snooze" options
  • Privacy-focused design, no tracking
Read full description

Most app blockers ask you to have willpower. Sphinx asks you to have two minutes and a working brain. Lock the apps that eat your evening. When you want back in, you don't tap "ignore" — you solve a brain puzzle. HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps you want locked, and choose how long the lock lasts. 2. Open one of them and you hit the Sphinx shield instead. 3. Solve a puzzle to buy back five minutes. Solve more for longer. EACH UNLOCK COSTS MORE THAN THE LAST The first unlock in a lock window costs one puzzle. The second costs two. The third costs three. After that, you wait until the window ends. The price is on screen before you commit, so a long session never feels free. PUZZLES, NOT TIMERS • 2,499 mate-in-one chess puzzles, every one verified solvable • Number pattern puzzles if chess isn't your thing • Everything is solved on device, so no connection is needed NO ESCAPE HATCH There is no "just this once" button, no snooze, no early exit. A lock window runs until it ends. Apps inside one can't even be removed from your list until it does. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Sphinx never learns which apps you locked. Your selection is handled entirely by Apple's Screen Time framework and stays on your device. No account, no sign-up, no tracking. LIGHT AND DARK Pick either, or follow your phone. — Sphinx uses Apple's Screen Time permission to lock and unlock the apps you choose. It cannot see your activity in those apps, and it cannot see which apps you selected. Sphinx Pro is an auto-renewable subscription: $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the trial ends, the yearly subscription begins automatically. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in Settings on your device. Privacy Policy: https://kevinnguyen2321.github.io/sphinx-privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Sam Smart TV Remote4 screens
Sphinx4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sphinx at 5.0 against Sam Smart TV Remote's 4.3. Sphinx also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). Sam Smart TV Remote's advantage is ratings volume (49K vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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. Sam Smart TV Remote sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Sphinx sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sphinx holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sam Smart TV Remote has 49K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sam Smart TV Remote ships an update monthly, Sphinx every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Sam Smart TV Remote versus Sphinx: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSam Smart TV RemoteSphinx
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (49K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews36.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings49K — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size168 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFLOWMATIC PTE. LTDKevin Nguyen

Bugs and requests

Sam Smart TV Remote

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Can't find TV
  • App crashes frequently
  • Buttons don't respond
  • Constant ads and pop-ups

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add keyboard for text input
  • Improve connection stability
  • Allow family sharing
  • Reduce subscription cost

Sphinx

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Sam Smart TV Remote

Subscriptions6
  • Weekly Premium7 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly with Trial3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium3 Days trial2 variants$5.997 Days
Show 3 more
  • Monthly Premium$9.491 Month
  • Monthly Premium$11.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • Lifetime Preimum$24.99
  • Lifetime Premium$29.99
  • Lifetime Premium$34.99
2 purchases

Sphinx

Subscriptions2
  • Sphinx Pro$4.991 Month
  • Sphinx Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Sam Smart TV Remote free?
Sam Smart TV Remote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sphinx free?
Sphinx is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx?
Sphinx is rated higher. Sam Smart TV Remote averages 4.3 out of 5 from 49K ratings, while Sphinx averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx have ads?
Sam Smart TV Remote shows ads; Sphinx does not.
Which is updated more often, Sam Smart TV Remote or Sphinx?
Sam Smart TV Remote ships an update monthly, and Sphinx every 10 days. Most recently, Sam Smart TV Remote was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sphinx on October 26, 2026.

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