Free instead of $2.99: iPhone app identifies insects and spiders
Our limited-time free app tip of the day is dedicated to entomologists in the NextPit Community. The app Bug Identifier: Bugs, Spiders can be downloaded for free for iPhone from the Apple App Store and we briefly explain why this promotion is worth taking advantage of.
TL;DR
- App for iOS is free for a limited time.
- Rated 4.2 out of 5 stars after 415 reviews on the App Store.
- App does not include ads or in-app purchases.
Bug Identifier is suitable for anyone curious about insects and arachnids, experts and laymen alike - even those who like me think they're all the same thing... The app is able to use the iPhone camera to identify the species and show more information about it. Usually, the app costs $2.99 on the App Store, but can be downloaded for free for a limited time:
- Download Bug Identifier: Bugs, Spiders on the App Store
- Check out other free apps and games this week
The app includes information on over a thousand species of insects, spiders, and butterflies, with photos and taxonomy - apparently taken from Wikipedia, but all with source credit.
Why Bug Identifier is worth checking out
Bug Identifier has a simple and straightforward interface. The home screen shows some species, including photos and scientific names. At the bottom you can search by name, see species marked as favorites, open the few options, or click the camera icon to use the identification tool.
The recognition system is fast, and allows not only using the iPhone camera, but also opening images from the camera roll for analysis. In testing, the recognition was not flawless, but it served as a reference, allowing you to search the web for more information.
On the downside, it missed simple features like clickable links on the sources to read more about each species, and a history option to save previously identified species for later reference.
Does Bug Identifier respect my privacy?
The app developers inform on the App Store page that Bug Identifier only collects diagnostic information, not linked to personal data. On the privacy policy page, the developer, FAMO Connect, details that the app uses the Google Analytics Firebase tool for telemetry analysis, in addition to third-party cookies.
The resource permissions requested by the app are as expected, with camera access and internet connection to make queries. Even better, Bug Identifier doesn't require registration, nor does it offer in-app purchases or interface ads.
Did you like the free app of the day suggestion? Did you find it too niche? Leave your criticisms and suggestions in the comments below!
