SOS Remote vs Merge Explorer
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 Explorer
Explore over 100 interactive science simulations using a smartphone and a Merge Cube. Investigate volcanoes, sharks, the solar system, and more with hands-on activities and quizzes. Ideal for K-8 students learning science at school or home.
- Over 100 science simulations
- Interactive Merge Cube experiences
- Hands-on learning activities
- Built-in quizzes
- NGSS-aligned K-8 curriculum
- Physical, Life, and Earth/Space Science topics
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PLEASE NOTE: This app requires a Merge Cube and a smartphone or a tablet to experience. Find out how to get a Merge Cube and learn more at: https://www.MergeCube.com. Students can learn science effectively with over 100 science simulations they can touch, hold and interact with! Merge Explorer (along with a Merge Cube) allows students to investigate a smoking volcano in the palm of their hand, examine a great white shark up close, hold and explore the solar system, dissect a frog (humanely!), and so much more. With easy-to-follow activities and built-in quizzes, students gain key knowledge while immersed in learning, both in the classroom or while remote learning at home. Merge Explorer includes NGSS-aligned topics for K-8th grade, like Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth & Space Science. If you have any questions or suggestions, we want 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 Explorer's 46%. SOS Remote also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.1) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Merge Explorer's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (279 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 Explorer 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 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merge Explorer has 279 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 46% of Merge Explorer's.
SOS Remote ships an update every 8 months, Merge Explorer monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SOS Remote | Merge Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.1 (279 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 46.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 279 — 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 | 1.3 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NOAA Science On a Sphere | Merge Apps |
Customer experience
SOS Remote
Merge Explorer
Bugs and requests
SOS Remote
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Merge Explorer
Reported bugs
13 issues- App crashes on iPad
- App crashes when pressing play
- Camera not working in app
- Black screen when using cube or camera
- VR function broken
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- VR doesn't work with iPhone XS Max
- App crashes or loads forever
- Problems with galactic explore
- App has trouble recognizing the cube
- Screen recording only records cube, not overlay
- Words appear sideways in horizontal mode
- Content appears incorrectly
- App crashes
Requested features
9 requests- Make the app free to play
- Add more fun things, not just learning
- Bring back the fun apps (time bomb, block courses)
- Allow users to create their own games for the merge cube
- Add a way to reset quizzes for class sets of devices
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- Improve functionality for remote teaching, including screen recording
- Add more content in the future
- Add dark mode option
- Add advanced analytics dashboard
In-app purchases
SOS Remote
No in-app purchases
Merge Explorer
- Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Explorer Premium Monthly14 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Merge EDU Individual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
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- Explorer Premium Annual14 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is SOS Remote free?
Is Merge Explorer free?
Which has better reviews, SOS Remote or Merge Explorer?
Do SOS Remote or Merge Explorer have ads?
Which is updated more often, SOS Remote or Merge Explorer?
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