Desktop Mode OS vs Polanthos
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Desktop Mode OS
Transform your iPhone into a powerful desktop workstation, extending its capabilities to external displays like AR glasses, monitors, or TVs. Experience a high-performance desktop environment using your phone's native silicon, with innovative input modes for seamless interaction.
- Turn iPhone into a desktop workstation
- Extend to AR glasses, monitors, TVs
- Spatial productivity with AR glasses
- Multiple input modes: Air Mouse, Hand Tracking, Liquid Trackpad
- Connect to any display (USB-C, HDMI, AirPlay)
- Sync Assistant for webview issues
- Pin frequently used sessions to dock
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Turn your iPhone into a pro-grade desktop workstation! ProDocktive extends your iPhone to any external display — AR Glasses, Monitors, or TVs — creating a high-performance, multi-window desktop environment powered entirely by your phone. Your iPhone becomes the engine, trackpad, air mouse, and spatial hand tracker. No Mac or PC required! THE ULTIMATE AR & XR COMPANION Unlock spatial productivity with XREAL, VITURE, Rokid, and RayNeo glasses. • Infinite Real Estate: Say goodbye to simple screen mirroring. Experience a massive virtual desktop for immersive multitasking. • Privacy by Design: Work on sensitive projects in public spaces with total confidence. • Spatial Interaction: Control your desktop with futuristic Hand Tracking or Air Mouse navigation. CONNECT TO ANY DISPLAY • AR Glasses: Instant, private cinema-sized workstation. • USB-C / HDMI: Wired, zero-latency output to any monitor or TV. • AirPlay: Wireless freedom for zero-friction browsing and casting. REVOLUTIONARY INPUT MODES • Air Mouse: Point your iPhone like a laser to move the cursor with physical precision. • Hand Tracker (BETA): Use your iPhone's camera for hands-free spatial gestures. • Liquid Trackpad: Transform your screen into a premium multi-touch trackpad (scroll, swipe, pinch-to-zoom). • Bluetooth Support: Pair your favorite keyboard and mouse for a true PC feel. PRO-GRADE FEATURES & PRIVACY • Native Desktop UI: Optimized for large-scale displays and precision input. • Pin to Dock: Save frequently used web apps for lightning-fast access. • 100% On-Device: No cloud lag, no video compression. Pixel-perfect rendering using your iPhone's GPU. Requirements: iOS 18+ and compatible USB-C/HDMI adapters or AirPlay displays. Privacy Policy: https://prodocktive.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Polanthos
This app helps you pause before opening distracting applications, encouraging intentional social media use and reducing mindless scrolling. It offers a mindful moment to decide if you truly want to proceed, with features like focus schedules and reclaimed time tracking.
- Mindful pause before app launch
- Focus schedules
- Gentle reminders
- Reclaimed time tracking
- Simple redirects
- Calm design
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Polanthos helps you pause before opening distracting apps on your iPhone. It is for people who want to reduce automatic scrolling, use social media more intentionally, and spend less time getting pulled into apps like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, shopping, or entertainment apps. Instead of blocking everything completely, Polanthos adds a short mindful pause before selected apps open. In that moment, you can breathe, decide if you really want to continue, close the app, or redirect your attention to something better. Main features include app-based pauses, focus schedules, gentle reminders, reclaimed-time tracking, simple redirects, and a calm design with no ads, no social feed, and no shame-based dashboards. The app is free to use. A paid plan is optional and can be skipped. All features described in this listing are accessible without purchase. Terms (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://polanthos.com/privacy.txt
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Polanthos at none against Desktop Mode OS's shown. Polanthos also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 71%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Desktop Mode OS's advantage is ratings volume (24 vs 3) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, 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. Desktop Mode OS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Polanthos sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Polanthos holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Desktop Mode OS has 24 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Desktop Mode OS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Polanthos's.
Desktop Mode OS ships an update every 6 days, Polanthos every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.
| Parameter | Desktop Mode OS | Polanthos |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (24 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 24 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Gautam Sukhramani | HAIYI NING |
Customer experience
Desktop Mode OS
Polanthos
In-app purchases
Desktop Mode OS
- Yearly subscription$14.991 Year
- Lifetime subscription$19.99
Polanthos
- Polanthos Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
- Polanthos Pro Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
Questions
Is Desktop Mode OS free?
Is Polanthos free?
Which has better reviews, Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos?
Do Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos have ads?
Which is updated more often, Desktop Mode OS or Polanthos?
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