One of the most significant features of the first beta of iOS 17.2 is the Journal application. Originally announced at WWDC in June, Journal promises to offer us a novel and privacy-focused way to cherish certain moments in our lives and reflect on our daily routine. Let’s take a look at what Apple’s new app is like.
Much, much more than a blank page
Journal, or Diario, is one of Apple’s apps focused on mental health. It allows us to capture our thoughts and reflections on important events or daily activities, enriching each entry with photos, music, audio recordings, and more. Additionally, it offers the option to mark significant moments to revisit them later, possibly providing new perspectives or inspiring new goals.
What makes Journal interesting is its ability to create personalized prompts based on our daily life as a starting point for writing. These prompts are based on elements such as photos we’ve taken, locations we’ve been to, music or podcasts we’ve listened to, workouts we’ve completed, and more.
This transforms into writing prompts, offering initial questions such as “What was the highlight of your trip?” or “What is the story behind these photos?”. These questions not only help initiate the writing process but also include deeper reflections with questions like “What is your secret superpower?” or “What activity leaves you most revitalized?”.
All of this is made possible thanks to on-device machine learning, meaning all the information is processed on our own device, ensuring complete privacy. In terms of privacy, the app features end-to-end encryption for all content and allows us to lock it using Face ID or Touch ID, preventing anyone but us from accessing the content.
On the other hand, the “Save to Journal” feature allows us to store suggested moments to develop them later, ensuring that we will remember to write or complete our reflection on the event. The application also offers practical options for organizing and reviewing what has been written. With “Find and Filter,” we can navigate chronologically through the entries, easily focusing on those marked for later review.
This feature is complemented by “Bookmarks and Filters in Entries,” which allow us to quickly mark and filter old entries based on specific content, such as photos, videos, locations, or websites. From the sharing sheet, we can also create entries in the journal, making it easy to include music, podcasts, or reflections on books, websites, and news articles.
To establish a certain habit, the app sends us notifications about new writing prompts and allows us to set a journaling schedule. Finally, Apple has created the Journaling Suggestions API, enabling third-party applications to leverage these same prompts.
With Journal, Apple introduces a tool to capture memories that goes much further. With record suggestions and ideas to start writing with—like everything Apple has presented at the Scary Fast event—we’re looking at something very different from a simple blank sheet of paper. An app for digital self-reflection, all while maintaining a strong focus on our privacy and security.
