Apple has officially introduced its Journal app with the rollout of iOS 17.2. Unveiled initially at WWDC in June, the app aims to inspire users to reflect on their daily activities and document special events.
Enabling users to capture moments through text, photos, videos, audio recordings, locations, and more, Journal goes a step further by incorporating AI to provide personalized suggestions for journal entries. This may include prompts to write about recent places visited or songs listened to, with users having control over the type of content appearing in the app’s Suggestions.
Apple has also opened up the space for third-party journaling apps to suggest moments for users to write about through the newly introduced Journaling Suggestion API. Developers can leverage this API to incorporate personalized journaling suggestions into their apps, offering a more tailored experience for users.
Users can import various types of content, such as news articles or podcasts, to fuel their journal entries. Journal provides the option to review past entries, bookmark them, or filter content based on categories like images or locations.
For those new to journaling or attempting to establish a consistent journaling habit, the app allows scheduled notifications to serve as reminders for logging daily moments. Apple emphasizes the security of Journal entries, noting that all data is end-to-end encrypted when stored in iCloud. Users also have the option to secure the Journal app with their device passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID for added privacy.
New in iOS 17.2:
- Journal app
- Translate option for the Action Button
- Ability to change default notification sound and haptic
- Spatial video capture on iPhone 15 Pro
- Catch-up arrow on iMessage
- Apple Music Favorites playlist
- Contact key verification
- Bug fixes and other improvements
Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, expressed excitement about expanding the benefits of journaling to a wider audience. He stated, “Journal makes it easy to preserve rich and powerful memories and practice gratitude by intelligently curating information that is personal to the user, right from their iPhone. And we’re making it possible for other journaling apps to offer the same personalized suggestions while maintaining the highest level of privacy.”
While iPhone users have traditionally utilized various apps or the Notes app for journaling, Apple has now provided a dedicated space for this purpose. This move may, however, raise concerns among app developers who often accuse Apple of adopting ideas from the broader app developer and partner community, a practice referred to as “sherlocking.” Apple is currently facing a Department of Justice (DoJ) investigation for alleged anticompetitive behavior in the App Store and other business practices.
The release of Journal is part of a broader set of Apple software updates, including a redesigned Apple TV app, access to Health app data via Siri, and support for recording Spatial Video on iPhone 15 Pro. The updated Apple TV app features a new navigation sidebar and serves as the hub for movie purchases and rentals, with a dedicated “Home” section showcasing subscribed channels, connected apps, recommendations, collections, and a personalized “For You” feed.
