Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) vs Emerald Observatory for iPad
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)
This app provides ultra-precise time by syncing with atomic time servers. It features a customizable display mimicking professional studio clocks, with advanced alarm functions and various visual themes. Designed for accuracy and usability, it's ideal for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
- Syncs with atomic time servers
- Professional studio clock display
- Customizable alarm with snooze
- Local time / UTC mode
- Multiple color themes
- Night mode for dimming
- Disabled screen auto-lock
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This tool shows you the ultimate precise time of day. To achieve this, it uses a special internet time protocol to fetch the time from an atomic time server. We are proud to offer version 5 of the Gorgy Timing Atomic Clock. The program is one of the classic applications since the early days of the Apple App Store and has been continually improved based on user feedback. The Gorgy Timing Atomic Clock shows the precise time of day. To achieve this, it uses a special internet time protocol to fetch the ultimate precise time from cesium atomic clocks available on the internet, or any other time server you like. The graphical display mimics the clock display of the legendary Gorgy Timing clocks, which are used in professional radio and television studios, and we spent much effort to bring the original feeling of these wickedly expensive clocks to your iPhone. This app is used by BBC studios, astronomers, concert promoters, etc. Version 5 contains the following functions: * Universal support for all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices running iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 9 or higher * Optimized for the latest iOS, iPadOS and watchOS, full 64 bit support * Alarm function with snooze (touch anywhere on the screen), volume fade-in, based on weekdays * Alarm time based on seconds (not minutes) * Local time / UTC time mode * Alarm notification window instead of normal alarm sound, if app is not running or in the background * Use playlists or a manual picker selection from your own music library as alarm sounds * The alarm sound is also playing when the device is muted, or the display is switched off, and also works in AirPlay environments * Customizable time server sources * Colors: green, red, blue, yellow, white, dark green, violet, pink, orange, turquoise and hidden, with a separate color option for digits, seconds and segments * Alternative visual display of fractional seconds (1/60th sec. resolution) * 12/24 hours display * Optional second tick sound * Full landscape support (including settings dialog) * Touching the display lets the buttons and status bar fade out * Touching the display again will add the current date (in all orientations) * Disabled screen auto-lock * Options "sync at startup", "hourly", "daily", or a sync button for manual syncing * The last known time delta is used when started without sync * "Night mode", which dims the display using a slider, shows the seconds with only one dot (to prevent a hard brightness switch between second 59 and second 0), switches off the tick sound, and reduces screen updates to save battery * To minimize burn-in effects (especially on the iPhone X OLED display), the clock is doing micro movements when running longer than 5 minutes * VoiceOver support Answers to common questions: * An application can not set your device's system time, so a time sync between the atomic time and the device time is not possible. * If you want to wakeup with music, please do not exit the app before going to sleep (which would result in a local notification dialog without music in the morning), and do not lock your device. Be aware that running an application all the time, even without display, consumes battery, so please make sure that your iPhone is fully charged before you go to bed, connect it to your charger, or use the app's Night mode, which is much more energy-saving.
Emerald Observatory for iPad
This app provides a comprehensive astronomical display on a single screen, offering detailed information about celestial bodies and timekeeping. It features a heliocentric orrery, rise and set times, twilight information, and moon phase details. Users can navigate through time and set alarms for astronomical events.
- Astronomical information display
- Heliocentric orrery
- Rise and set times for Sun, Moon, planets
- Twilight times
- Moon phase and orientation
- World map of day/night regions
- Eclipse simulator
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Emerald Observatory displays a wealth of astronomical information all on one screen, in a unique but understandable format. Information includes: - 12- and 24-hour ordinary clock time - Times of rise and set for the Sun, the Moon, and the 5 classical planets - Times of the beginning and ending of twilight - Heliocentric orrery (display of the planets in orbit around the Sun) - Altitude and azimuth for the same bodies (one body at a time) - Current phase and apparent orientation and relative size of the moon - Current regions of day and night on a world map - The Equation of Time, solar time, UTC time, and sidereal time - Month, day, year, and leap-year indicator - Daily alarm (delivered as local notification on iOS 4+ if app is not running) - Eclipse simulator - Displayed times are synchronized via NTP to "atomic clock" standard - Uses iPad location, or the latitude and longitude may be set manually A setting is available to allow the display to stay on continuously. Tap on the display to move forward by a month, day, year, hour, or minute. A detailed manual for the operation of Emerald Observatory can be found at the "Emerald Sequoia LLC Web Site" listed below, at http://emeraldsequoia.com/eo/ If you are having any trouble with the application whatsoever, please see our FAQ on the support page listed below and then contact us through that page if your problem is not resolved. We take pride in responding promptly to all support email requests but we can't fix it if you don't report it (and we have no way to respond to Customer Reviews on iTunes). (NTP requires Internet access. Like all apps Emerald Observatory can not change the device's internal clock.)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Emerald Observatory for iPad at Free against Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)'s $1.99. Emerald Observatory for iPad also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and review sentiment (99% vs 91%). Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)'s advantage is ratings volume (5K vs 84) and device support (4 vs 1). On rating, 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
Emerald Observatory for iPad is free to download; Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) costs $1.99 up front. Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Emerald Observatory for iPad asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) against 4.9 for Emerald Observatory for iPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) has 5K ratings behind it against 84, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)'s written reviews are positive against 99% of Emerald Observatory for iPad's.
Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) ships an update every 4 months, Emerald Observatory for iPad every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) | Emerald Observatory for iPad |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (5K ratings) | 4.9 (84 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 90.5% of reviews | 98.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5K — better | 84 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CompuLab, Markus Gömmel | Bjorn Freeman-Benson |
Customer experience
Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)
Emerald Observatory for iPad
Bugs and requests
Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Emerald Observatory for iPad
Requested features
14 requests- Port to screen wallpaper
- Large wall clock version
- Apple TV version
- Support for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
- iPhone and Apple Watch versions
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- Alarm functionality
- Screen dimming for night use
- Numeric display of values
- Switch altitude/azimuth by touching planet
- Push notifications for specific events
- Custom chime sounds for events
- Round earth display to match moon display
- iPad version of Chronometer iPhone app
- Tutorial mode or on-screen help
In-app purchases
Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing)
- Nice job$0.99
- Good work.$2.99
- Great app!$3.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Awesome idea!$8.99
- I totally love it!$17.99
Emerald Observatory for iPad
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) free?
Is Emerald Observatory for iPad free?
Which has better reviews, Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) or Emerald Observatory for iPad?
Do Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) or Emerald Observatory for iPad have ads?
Which is updated more often, Atomic Clock (Gorgy Timing) or Emerald Observatory for iPad?
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