Apple may offer a journaling app in the next iOS update, according to The software codenamed Jurassic will try to take advantage of the mental and physical benefits that are attributed to logging thoughts and activities regularly. The reported that the app may be unveiled as soon as Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, in June. It will be a part of iOS 17, the iPhone update due to be released later this fall.
Apple has ideas about the app that include pulling usage data from an iPhone and making suggestions on what the user might want to journal about. It could detect when someone’s daily activities have changed and suggest that they write about certain events, such as a workout. It even mentions a “All Day People Discovery”, which could identify friends and co-workers that users spend a lot of time with.
According to documents reviewed by and viewed on devices, this data processing will take place on the device. Journaling suggestions are kept for a period of four weeks, before they are deleted.
It’s the worst to hear you’re going to be sherlocked.
Apple could be accused of “Sherlocking”, or copying, developers with this app. The term comes from an old macOS tool called Sherlock that many believed copied features of a third-party app called Watson. Since then, Sherlocking is used when Apple or other major platform operators develop a native feature to replace functionality provided by third-party applications and services.
After hearing Apple’s plans, Day One founder Paul Mayne said to the WSJ: “It is always the worst to hear you are about to be sherlocked.” It will give us some competition.”
Mayne claims that Apple has previously praised the Day One application, and even given it a design award for 2014.. He claims that Day One was featured prominently on the App Store for three years. But he believes this is because Apple has plans to launch another competitor.
The company will have several advantages if it decides to launch a journaling app. This is because third-party developers, like Automattic (the owner of Day One), are not interested in the project. Apple is less likely to be under pressure to directly monetize the app, as it makes its money primarily from hardware sales and relies on its software to attract customers. Day One is available as a freemium app with an option to upgrade for additional features such as multi-device compatibility. Apple could preload software on its devices. The WSJ also notes that Apple could benefit from greater access to data such as text messages and telephone calls.
Apple declined to respond to The report and did not immediately reply to The Verge. WSJ mentions that a possible announcement could be made at WWDC, but notes that Jurassic may also be revealed in the future.
Apple’s journaling app could compete directly with Day One. Apple has helped the feeling and activity tracker grow to 200,000 subscribers over the past decade. It was awarded a Apple Design Award in 2014 and has received multiple App Store promotions. Paul Mayne told the WSJ about Apple’s apparent decline in support three years ago. He assumed that Apple was developing a similar app. Apple was accused in the past of making its own versions of popular apps — also called Sherlocking — and of taking meetings with companies to produce something similar to their idea.
