WSJ: Apple to Release iPhone Journaling App for Logging Daily Activities

[MacRumors]

Apple is planning to launch a Day One-style iPhone journaling app to let users compile their daily activities, as part of its efforts in the physical and mental health market, reports The Wall Street Journal.

From the paywalled report:

The software will compete in a category of so-called journaling apps, such as Day One, which lets users track and record their activities and thoughts. The new Apple product underscores the company's growing interest in mental health.

The Apple journaling app, code-named Jurassic, is designed to help users keep track of their daily lives, according to the documents describing the software. The app will analyze the users' behavior to determine what a typical day is like, including how much time is spent at home compared with elsewhere, and whether a certain day included something outside the norm, according to the documents.

Based on documents seen by WSJ, a personalization feature will highlight potential topics for users to write about, such as a workout, while the app will also offer "All Day People Discovery" to detect a user's physical proximity to other people.

According to the report, Apple's app will have the ability to gather much more user data than third-party journaling apps, and will have access to text messages and phone calls, but privacy and security will be central to the software's design. The analysis of the user's day will take place on-device, and journaling suggestions will remain in the system for four weeks, after which they will be removed.

It's not known when the app will be released, but it could be announced as soon as WWDC in June, when iOS 17 is set to be previewed, and could be a feature of the new operating system. The documents seen by WSJ offered no indication as to whether Apple plans to charge for the journaling app. An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.

Article Link: WSJ: Apple to Release iPhone Journaling App for Logging Daily Activities

 

[infinitejest]

That would actually be great!
I was looking for one in the App Store not too long ago, but wasn’t really happy with what I could find.

 

[SamboSoul]

As a long-time Day One user, I would be very keen to see something developed by Apple; although I am concerned about them having access to text messages and phone calls? 🤨

 

[klasma]

The new Apple product underscores the company’s growing interest in mental health.

Good thing that Apple is finally starting to address its mental health issues!

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

The irony being most people would do much better mentally if they put away their phone.

 

[sunapple]

One of the rare occasions where I'm fine with sticking to paper.

 

[ericwn]

I see, the next app to be sherlocked is Day One now, but at least they had a long run without Apple. Either way, I’m interested to see the final product to see if I would benefit with my own journaling.

 

[Havoc035]

According to the report, Apple's app will have the ability to gather much more user data than third-party journaling apps, and will have access to text messages and phone calls.

Incoming anti competitiveness complaints…

 

[xxray]

Wow, this sounds awesome, especially given that Apple is pretty much the only company that could do this while still respecting privacy. It sounds like it will be a lot more automatic which will help solve one of my biggest issues with regularly journaling: how much time it can take.

 

[winxmac]

Make it available for iOS 11 and later...

 

[Ridge Racer]

I am concerned about them having access to text messages and phone calls? 🤨

They (i.e. Apple) wouldn't have access - the installed app would - as mentioned in the article: "analysis of the user's day will take place on-device"

 

[timber]

I don't care about this "Mental Heath care push" or whatever but this seem like a very useful and interesting app.

 

[and 1989 others]

'The app will analyze the users' behavior to determine what a typical day is like, including how much time is spent at home compared with elsewhere, and whether a certain day included something outside the norm'

And thus increasing anxiety about how much time you spend doing this and that, comparing your data to others data, planning how to overcome the new problems....

This won't fix mental health issues. It will compound them. The beauty of having an actual journal is that it does non of the stated 'benefits' of an app. It's you, the paper and the pen. Freedom to write what you like in quiet solitude. The journal cannot bring up a youtube video, send a text, receive a call, send a social media message while you are writing either.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

As a long-time Day One user, I would be very keen to see something developed by Apple; although I am concerned about them having access to text messages and phone calls? 🤨

Probably as a reminder of who you talked to so you can write down the conversations, maybe how they made you feel, etc

 

[timber]

'The app will analyze the users' behavior to determine what a typical day is like, including how much time is spent at home compared with elsewhere, and whether a certain day included something outside the norm'

And thus increasing anxiety about how much time you spend doing this and that, comparing your data to others data, planning how to overcome the new problems....

This won't fix mental health issues. It will compound them. The beauty of having an actual journal is that it does non of the stated 'benefits' of an app. It's you, the paper and the pen. Freedom to write what you like in quiet solitude. The journal cannot bring up a youtube video, send a text, receive a call, send a social media message while you are writing either.

I see potencial in the ability to easily and quickly backtrack information because someone may find useful to know when and what was done in a given day.
A bit like that Maps function that let's you see your movements (which can also be a bit creepy if misused).
Writing a journal takes time and may not be what you are actually looking for. A journal would be (I guess, I don't write journals) about personal thoughts and not "bought milk". I may want to know when some pedestrian tasks were carried out.

 

[mystery hill]

The app is going to tell us that we spend too much time on MR.

 

[NEPOBABY]

This will inspire Microsoft and Google.

Hello it looks like your are thinking something. Would you like me to track your thoughts and moods and sell it to data brokers so they can sell it to people who might not like what you are thinking?

 

[citysnaps]

Excellent news! I've been waiting for an Apple-developed journalling app.

I currently use Notes for keeping track of stuff and to jot down random information, project ideas, meetings, sketches, trips, photographs I've made for book ideas, photobook book dummies (prototypes), interviews, reminders, people I've talked to, to-do lists, and on and on for for both iOS and macOS going back ten years.

Notes just works, seamlessly across all devices, and was a breath for fresh air coming from Evernote and never being totally happy with it.

Looking forward to see what Apple comes up with for their journalling app. Have a feeling it will be great.

 

[zilchfox]

This would be nice. Notes is kind of a mess for this, and I’m not sure of any good third party apps for specifically doing journaling stuff.

 

[contacos]

But like my phone is part of the problem in the first place 😅

Also, the way this is worded, it seems to play right into the anti competitive investigation by the EU.

„Your app can’t do it but ours can so you better keep buying iPhones if u want to keep using our app“

 

[mystery hill]

This would be nice. Notes is kind of a mess for this, and I’m not sure of any good third party apps for specifically doing journaling stuff.

It would be nice if Notes had version control or revision history to recover from accidental edits.

 

[Dydegu]

Love this!

 

[syklee26]

Wouldnt the best mental health solution be eliminating iphone bug fixes?

 

[nwcs]

According to the report, Apple's app will have the ability to gather much more user data than third-party journaling apps, and will have access to text messages and phone calls.

Incoming anti competitiveness complaints…

Exactly. Whether good or bad it perpetuates the notion that Apple isn't playing fairly. Not a good thing given the current political climate.

 

[Abazigal]

Exactly. Whether good or bad it perpetuates the notion that Apple isn't playing fairly. Not a good thing given the current political climate.

By this reasoning, anything Apple does can be construed as not playing fair, and there’s no way to add any new features to iOS without replicating something else which already exists elsewhere. I say screw the complainers, and there’s something called a lawsuit if they have beef with Apple.