Apple is adding a new first-party app called Journal with the introduction of iOS 17, the company announced today during WWDC 2023. Journal is, as its name simply states, a new place for iPhone users to keep track of their daily activities, log their emotional health, and jot down anything else that they want to write about.
Apple has continued to lean into its first-party health and wellness iOS apps with things like Fitness, Sleep, and Breathe, and now Journal will be joining their ranks as the company’s first attempt at an app that focuses on mental well-being.
While people have been using the Notes app and plenty of other third-party iOS apps to keep track of their thoughts and feelings, Journal helps get the ball rolling for those looking to do some deeper reflection by using on-device machine learning to look at the activities that a user took part in that day and offer “personalized suggestions” to help inspire and guide the writing. By integrating other apps such as Photos and Maps, Journal will be able to serve as a fully digital journal for those looking to incorporate elements outside of just the written text.
Rumors about the app’s inclusion in iOS 17 started circling earlier this year, with many citing that it seems like a good idea for those looking for a better way to write their thoughts down and keep track of memories outside of what Apple has previously offered. As exciting as the app seems, however, it does look to be taking plenty of inspiration from Day One, a similar, popular journaling app that’s been on iOS since 2012.
For those worried about personal information written in Journal being shared with Apple or other outside sources such as app developers, Apple reassures that personal privacy was at the core of the app’s development and that it is end-to-end encrypted, with all information being stored locally on each individual iPhone.
Journal will be available later this year alongside the public launch of iOS 17, along with other new iPhone features such as Name Drop, Check In, Live Stickers, and Adaptive Audio.
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