According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple’s next iOS release may include a journaling app. “Jurassic” software will try to harness the mental and physical benefits of tracking your thoughts and activities. The WSJ claims that Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June may reveal the app as a feature for iOS 17, the iPhone software update planned this autumn.
According to the WSJ, Apple plans to use iPhone usage statistics to recommend journal topics. For example, it may notice a shift in everyday activities and advise writing about an exercise. In addition, “All Day People Discovery” could recognize users’ friends and coworkers.
According to WSJ documents, journaling ideas will be stored on the device for four weeks before removal.
The software might pit Apple against third-party journaling apps like Day One, prompting claims of “Sherlocking” developers. First, Sherlock, a macOS search tool, was accused of copying Watson, a third-party application. Since then, Sherlocking has been used to describe Apple (or other major platform operators), adding a native feature that replaces third-party functionality.
“It’s always the worst thing to have to hear that you’re about to be sherlocked,” Day One founder Paul Mayne told the WSJ after hearing Apple’s Jurassic intentions. “It will challenge us.”
Apple awarded Day One a 2014 design award, according to Mayne. However, he believes Apple plans to introduce a competition because Day One hasn’t been as prominent in the App Store in the past three years.
If Microsoft launches its journaling app, it will have significant advantages over third-party developers like Automattic, which owns Day One. Apple sells hardware and leverages its software to entice customers, so it won’t need to monetize its app directly. In addition, day One offers freemium features, including multi-device support. According to the WSJ, Apple may preload its software on smartphones and gain access to customer data like text messages and phone calls.
Apple did not comment on The Verge or The Wall Street Journal. The WSJ mentions a June WWDC announcement, but Jurassic may be disclosed later.
