I have noticed that many of @csummers1 's observations are made through an App, some through Seek and some through the iNaturalist Android App. There is nothing suggesting to me that he is not using a phone for all of his iNaturalist activities. I personally would find identifying on a handheld device (HHD) very challenging. I have noticed when many do screenshots, on uncropped images the users often have many tabs open - this how I identify, looking up information on one tab and going back and forth - this would be quite cumbersome on an HHD (maybe easier on an iPad, but stillâŚ) The thing with using a Laptop or a desktop is the robustness, flexibility, and size of image (and thumbnails one gets). I am in awe of anyone who uses this form of exchange for everything on iNaturalist - hats off and kudos. Disclaimer here is I strictly used laptop for 3 years for iNaturalist before I even had a smartphone.
Someone I hike with uses Seek and our Floradoc on her cellphone ⌠we all wait politely while she finds the answer. Not in my skillset!
On smartphone everything is tiny, on iNat app or not, I donât find photos there particulary small, you open observation and can see it clearly, itâs hard to id because thereâs no separate tab-like place for that, so you need to open and go back, but the size shouldnât be a problem. On iPad identifying is as easy as laptop, because you use browser there.
Understood. I wasnât sure about a tablet because I have not tried. So smartphone identifying for others would seem to be a challenge. Iâm not sure how they could change that interface to make it any different for an identifier.
The original article was seemed to me to be focused on encouraging a change in
the dearth of participants with reasonable expertise (i.e., someone with the skills and ability to make informed identifications)âhereafter âidentifiersâ
Even going so far as to encourage institutional support of their experts (my interpretation).
With onboarding of people with desired skillsets it would seem reasonable to encourage effortful identification via the website on a tablet, laptop, or a desktop.
Thatâs why when youâre talking to a new person about iNat always mention that website is a go-to, app is great to check notifications or check in the field if what you saw is what you think it is, but crucial parts of iNat system are website-only or lack from iOs app/hidden on Android app. Ider potential shouldnât be wasted on app that is focused on upload.
I think these recent exchanges also stumbled upon a reason about why some people maynot be doing more identification.
Quite simply mobile devices of the smaller kind donât make it easy
I interviewed Thomas Mesaglio (@thebeachcomber), one of the co-authors, about the paper when I was in Australia last month (thanks for showing me around, Thomas!). Was finally able to put together a short video of him going over the seven reasons listed in the paper.
I second this opinion.
My bedraggled overloaded brain cell sometimes closes the tab kept open with the dayâs notifications (can be several hundred sometimes) and theyâve gone. just like that. 
This issue really needs addressing asap, please.
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