Sonic Motion vs Ear Sonar
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sonic Motion
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Sonic Motion is an app that converts the values from the accelerometer, gravity, and rotation sensors into sound in real time. It plays sounds with a soft or hard tone depending on whether the sensor values are positive or negative. Select the motion of the X, Y, or Z axis and experience movement as sound!
Ear Sonar
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Ear Sonar is an accessibility app that helps people who are blind or have low vision sense nearby space. It uses the iPhone’s rear LiDAR to scan what’s ahead, then turns that depth into spatial audio—or haptics—so you can “hear” the environment. What you can hear • Distance: nearer sounds arrive sooner, denser, or higher in pitch; farther sounds are sparser and lower • Direction: binaural spatial audio places objects to your left or right • Shape cues: flat walls, slopes, and gaps create distinct sonic rhythms Four sensing modes • Echolocation: row-by-row pings outline space like sonar returns • Pitch sonar: a rising scan line encodes distance as pitch in real time • Continuous sonar: a fixed center line for a live depth profile while you walk • Haptic sonar: vibration timing encodes distance—no headphones required Semantic markers Optionally detect people, vehicles, dogs, chairs, tables, doors, and more, then announce them in stereo from their real-world direction. All processing stays on device; nothing is uploaded. Tips • Stereo headphones are recommended (Apple headphones with head tracking and spatial audio work best); haptic mode can be used without headphones • Full VoiceOver support, including gestures and the rotor • Requires an iPhone with LiDAR (iPhone 12 Pro and later Pro models) • This is an assistive tool—not a replacement for a cane, guide dog, or your own judgment when traveling Open the app and start hearing space. Camera preview is on by default so sighted helpers can see what’s being scanned. To keep the experience focused, the app intentionally avoids UI that isn’t essential to core sensing. Questions or suggestions: ninerwong@outlook.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Sonic Motion at 15.0 against Ear Sonar's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Sonic Motion | Ear Sonar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yoshiyuki Koyanagi | 乃君 黄 |
In-app purchases
Sonic Motion
No in-app purchases
Ear Sonar
No in-app purchases









