WhatsThis | What Is This?

Why it matters

Start with uncertainty

The first state of an object in WhatsThis is simple: you do not know what it is yet. The product starts there, not with listings or forms.

Ask the community

People can comment on unknown items and help converge on a likely answer. AI conclusions can be layered in later as a starting point, not the final word.

Protect sensitive locations

Choose how precise location should be: exact, town hall, county, or country. The app already supports broader visibility for sensitive finds.

Act on the answer later

Once an object makes sense, you can keep it documented, archive it properly, or optionally put it up for sale.

A calibrated archival workshop object on a bench with soft daylight

The brand direction

A real object question, not three products at once.

WhatsThis is strongest when everything points back to one question: what is this? The visual system should support that clarity with grounded imagery, restrained UI, and trust over hype.

How people use it

1. Capture the object Photograph something in your garage, shed, workshop, estate, or local area.

2. Ask what it is Add any clues you have and let the community help work toward an answer.

3. Decide what to do with it Keep it documented, preserve the context, or optionally make it available for sale after it makes sense.

Built for real use cases

WhatsThis works for curiosity and discovery, but it is especially strong when physical things need their meaning preserved.

Garages and sheds Workshops Collections Estate sorting Nearby discovery

Current product shape

What exists now

Mobile capture, comments on unknown items, location-aware discovery, optional sale metadata, profile support, and privacy-aware location sharing.

What is next

A cleaner identification-first flow, stronger permanence, and eventually AI-assisted conclusions without turning the product into a fake scanner app.

Take a picture of something and ask the world: what is this?