# Photonics Spectra vs GULF NOW

The clearest difference is ads: Photonics Spectra at none against GULF NOW's shown. Photonics Spectra also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). GULF NOW's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Photonics Spectra ships an update every 10 months, GULF NOW weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photonics Spectra | GULF NOW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonics-spectra/id657383359/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 65 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Laurin Publishing Co., Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/657383362) | [Ashish Sukhija](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547981678) |

## What reviewers say

### Photonics Spectra

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photonics-spectra/id657383359)

Access the leading magazine for the photonics industry on your mobile device. Read articles in a convenient format, download PDF issues, and search through archives of past content. Stay informed about optics, lasers, imaging, and more.

**Highlights:** Mobile-friendly article reading, Downloadable PDF issues, Searchable archives, Comprehensive industry coverage, Technical and practical information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### GULF NOW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gulf-now/id6749221574)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photonics Spectra free?

Photonics Spectra is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is GULF NOW free?

GULF NOW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Photonics Spectra or GULF NOW have ads?

GULF NOW shows ads; Photonics Spectra does not.

### Which is updated more often, Photonics Spectra or GULF NOW?

Photonics Spectra ships an update every 10 months, and GULF NOW weekly. Most recently, Photonics Spectra was updated on November 1, 2026 and GULF NOW on October 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*