SOS Remote vs Merge Object Viewer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SOS Remote
Control a Science On a Sphere® system with your mobile device. Adjust sphere orientation, manage datasets, and enhance presentations with interactive features. Ideal for educational settings.
- Adjust sphere orientation
- Control dataset playback
- Load presentation playlists
- Search and browse data catalog
- View dataset descriptions
- Create presentation playlists
- Draw on and zoom datasets
- Dynamically adjust dataset layers
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SOS Remote is a universal app for the iPhone*, iPod Touch*, and iPad that is used to control a Science On a Sphere® (SOS) system. SOS is a room sized, global display system that uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data onto a six-foot diameter sphere, analogous to an animated globe. SOS is used as an educational tool to help illustrate Earth System science to people of all ages in a way that is intuitive and captivating. The SOS Remote app affords greater interaction capabilities and ease of use compared to previous SOS controllers such as the Wii Remote. With this app, you can: • Adjust the orientation of the sphere in an intuitive way • Control playback of datasets • Load any presentation playlist stored on the SOS computer • Quickly search and browse the entire SOS Data Catalog and select datasets at random to load on the sphere • View a dataset's description and presenter notes while giving an SOS presentation • Quickly create a presentation playlist directly from the iPad • Draw on and zoom into a dataset loaded on the sphere • Dynamically turn on/off dataset layers and pips and adjust their transparency • Split the sphere into 2-4 vertical slices to replicate a portion of the dataset around the sphere • Perform full alignment of the sphere using an intuitive three step process * Note: The iPhone/iPod Touch support only a subset of the features described above. The iPad supports all features. Requirements: • In order to functionally use the SOS Remote app, you must have a Science On a Sphere® (SOS) installation • Wi-Fi or Bluetooth access to the SOS computer that is being controlled • SOS Software Version 5.5.0
Merge Object Viewer
Explore hundreds of 3D digital teaching aids with this app. Students can interact with models of rocks, mammals, cells, and more. The app also allows users to upload and view their own 3D objects on a compatible device.
- Hundreds of 3D teaching aids
- Interactive 3D models
- Learn about science and biology
- Upload and view custom 3D objects
- Hands-on digital learning
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PLEASE NOTE: This app requires a Merge Cube and a smartphone or a tablet to play. To find out how to get a Merge Cube and to learn more, visit our website at: https://www.MergeCube.com. Object Viewer puts hundreds of digital teaching aids in the palm of your hand! Students can learn about rocks and minerals, mammals, reptiles, lifecycles, cells, and so much more using different collections of hands-on 3D models. Students can also upload, view, and share their own 3D objects on the Merge Cube. If you have any questions or suggestions, we would love to hear from you! Contact us at any time at support@MergeEdu.com. Privacy Policy: https://MergeEdu.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://MergeEdu.com/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SOS Remote at 100% against Merge Object Viewer's 48%. SOS Remote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Merge Object Viewer's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (390 vs 3). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. Merge Object Viewer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. SOS Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.
SOS Remote holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge Object Viewer has 390 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of SOS Remote's written reviews are positive against 48% of Merge Object Viewer's.
SOS Remote ships an update every 8 months, Merge Object Viewer monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SOS Remote | Merge Object Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.5 (390 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 47.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 390 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 4 MB | 414 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NOAA Science On a Sphere | Merge Apps |
Customer experience
SOS Remote
Merge Object Viewer
Bugs and requests
SOS Remote
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Merge Object Viewer
Reported bugs
4 issues- Objects not loading or displaying incorrectly
- App freezing or closing unexpectedly
- Labeling/annotation issues with 3D objects
- Compatibility problems on iPads and older iOS versions
Requested features
5 requests- Adjustable lighting for 3D objects
- Ability to snap objects together
- Camera button for capturing scenes
- Restore VR support
- More free 3D content options
In-app purchases
SOS Remote
No in-app purchases
Merge Object Viewer
- Object Viewer Premium Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Object Viewer Premium Annual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
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- Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is SOS Remote free?
Is Merge Object Viewer free?
Which has better reviews, SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer?
Do SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer have ads?
Which is updated more often, SOS Remote or Merge Object Viewer?
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