To the iNaturalist Development Team,
I am writing to share some feedback regarding the Seek by iNaturalist app, based on extensive personal use and discussions with fellow naturalists. While we appreciate the vision behind Seek as a learning and engagement tool, there are several persistent issues — particularly concerning its integration with the iNaturalist database and its functionality in the field — that merit attention.
Key Concerns and Areas for Improvement:
Poor Integration with iNaturalist Accounts:
Although Seek allows linking to an iNaturalist account, the integration is shallow and opaque. Observations made and saved in Seek do not reliably or clearly appear in the iNaturalist observation history. Users expect that when they authorize the connection, Seek observations will seamlessly transfer to their iNaturalist account. In reality, the upload process is unclear, inconsistent, and at times non-functional, with no feedback when uploads fail.
Lack of Offline Support and Preloading:
Many of us use Seek in remote areas with no cellular coverage. Unlike apps such as Merlin Bird ID, Seek lacks the ability to preload regional species data (e.g., all dicots or all oaks in a given area). This results in reduced functionality exactly when users need it most — on field outings without signal.
Subpar Identification Accuracy:
While the idea of on-device, privacy-conscious identification is admirable, Seek’s plant ID accuracy lags noticeably behind more robust tools. In many cases, the app only provides high-level taxonomic guesses (e.g., “dicot” or “genus level”) despite good photos, even of common species. This performance gap is especially frustrating when Merlin, for example, can offer confident bird IDs using limited visual/audio data.
Lack of Confidence Scoring and Misleading Labels:
The use of terms like “likely” or “suggested” can be misleading when they are based on very weak visual cues. More transparent confidence scores or explicit disclaimers would help users interpret Seek’s suggestions appropriately, especially newer users who may mistake these suggestions for definitive IDs.
No Post-Hoc Uploading of Observations to iNaturalist:
Users frequently discover that observations made in Seek cannot be retroactively uploaded to iNaturalist after the fact. This limitation is frustrating, particularly for users who assumed linking their account meant a full connection. A simple “upload to iNaturalist” option for each logged observation would go a long way toward bridging this gap.
Minimal Feedback or Logging of Upload Status:
When uploads fail — due to connection issues or other causes — there is no error reporting or notification. Users are left unsure whether their observations were saved or lost, and there’s no retry option. A basic activity log or confirmation of upload status would be a substantial improvement.
We recognize that Seek and iNaturalist serve different user groups, and we value both tools. However, improving Seek’s reliability, transparency, and integration with iNaturalist would enhance the experience for power users and casual observers alike, especially those attempting to transition from one platform to the other.
Thank you for your continued work on these important biodiversity tools. We hope this feedback is helpful in shaping future development.
Sincerely,
Scott Ray
