Apple is introducing a new dedicated journaling app as part of iOS 17 called “Journal,” the company announced at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) today. The new app is designed to help users keep track of their daily lives in a way that is similar to popular journaling app on the market today, such as Day One. Journal lets you log your thoughts and activities on a regular basis.
Using on device machine learning, your iPhone can create personalized suggestions of moments to inspire your writing. Suggestions will be curated from information on your iPhone, like your photos, location, music workouts and more. Users control what to include when they enable suggestions and which ones they want to save to their journal.
You can schedule notifications for the start or end of your day to remind you to write and to tell you when new suggestions are available. Apple says Journal is designed to keep your entries private, with on device processing, end to end encryption and the ability to lock your journal.
iPhone users have long used certain apps for journaling, or even the Notes app, to log their daily experiences and memories. Now, the company has launched a dedicated space for users to do so.
Apple’s entry into the journaling space is sure to upset app makers, who often accuse Apple of “sherlocking” popular app categories, which is a reference to the tech giant’s habit of lifting ideas from the wider app developer and partner community. It’s worth noting that Apple is currently under DoJ investigation for alleged anticompetitive behavior in the App Store and in other business practices.
Today’s announcement doesn’t come as a surprise, given that Bloomberg reported a few months ago that Apple was planning to launch a dedicated journaling app. The launch furthers the tech giant’s efforts in the mental and physical health technology market.
