Apple is reportedly planning to release a health-led journaling app for the iPhone, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The app, which is codenamed “Jurassic,” is said to be part of Apple’s larger efforts to expand into the healthcare industry. Internal documents suggest that Apple sees journaling as a way to improve mental health and wellbeing.
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The app is expected to function as a life tracker, gathering data on users’ daily routines, movements, and social interactions. The app may use a feature called “All Day People Discovery” to differentiate between colleagues and friends, based on users’ proximity to other individuals. It is not clear whether this feature would require other individuals to also have the app installed on their iPhones.
Apple has a history of collecting comprehensive data on its users, and the journaling app is expected to be no exception. However, the data collected may be used to personalize the app, suggesting relevant journaling topics based on the user’s activities. For example, if a user brings their iPhone on a run, the app may suggest writing about their workout.
The app is expected to store all data solely on the user’s device, with journaling suggestions automatically deleting after four weeks. This approach would provide users with more control over their personal data, while still allowing Apple to collect insights on how the app is used.
If Apple does release a journaling app, it may face competition from Day One, a popular feeling and activity tracker that has been growing for over a decade. Day One currently has 200,000 premium subscribers and has received significant support from Apple. The founder of Day One, Paul Mayne, believes that Apple was working on a similar app, and that the company’s support for Day One dropped off about three years ago.
Apple has not yet announced anything about the alleged journaling app, and it is not clear when the company may reveal more information. However, it is likely that Apple will discuss its healthcare initiatives at its annual developer conference in June.
