Unveiling Apple’s Journal App: Discover its Smart Features and Simplicity

The Apple Journal app is a simple yet intriguing tool for journaling. It may seem basic at first, with just one screen displaying a reverse-chronological timeline of entries and a plus button at the bottom. But upon closer inspection, the app offers various options to enhance your journaling experience. When you tap on the plus button, an overlay appears presenting you with choices: start a new entry or respond to one of the app’s reflection prompts. These prompts encourage thoughtful writing by asking questions like, “What could you do to make someone’s day better this week?” or “Write about a time you found an unexpected solution to a hard problem.”

When creating an entry, you have the option to add photos, videos, voice memos, or location details. As you browse through your timeline, you can filter entries to view only those with photos or ones that you’ve bookmarked. The app can even remind you to journal daily. Overall, the Apple Journal app may appear basic, but its simplicity makes it a user-friendly tool for journaling.

The existence of the Journal app can be attributed to two main reasons. First, Apple prioritizes health and wellness, and there is evidence suggesting that regular journaling is beneficial. Second, a phone serves as an ideal platform for journaling because it can harness its capabilities to automate certain aspects. The concept behind Apple Journal revolves around the idea of “Moments.” By analyzing data such as location, FaceTime calls, videos recorded, and other phone-exclusive signals, the app can identify significant moments worth remembering and revisiting. For instance, it can recognize that you had a long phone conversation with your boyfriend, followed by listening to several songs in a row. Similarly, it can identify when you achieved a personal best during marathon training and finished the run with a breathtaking view from a mountain top. With this information, the app not only adds these moments to your journal but also prompts you to reflect upon them.

Apple has made this technology, called the “suggestions API” for Moments, available to other third-party journaling apps as well. The machine learning and processing happen on your device, ensuring privacy. The app you choose only receives information about Moments once you select them to be added. However, the app comes with its own set of challenges. Just like Facebook’s On This Day feature, Journal has the potential to show you memories you may not want to relive or revisit. The app has access to a vast amount of data from your phone, which can sometimes result in tactless or unwelcome reminders.

You do have some control over which data Journal uses to suggest Moments, and you can disable the feature altogether if desired. Nonetheless, Apple could offer more detailed controls over time to provide users with a more tailored experience.

As a new user of the Journal app, I have yet to experience its moment-suggesting capabilities. Nonetheless, I am excited to see how Apple manages the moment generating process and how other apps integrate the suggestions API. While third-party apps cannot directly insert their content into the Moments system, data from apps utilizing SiriKit, CallKit, or HealthKit can contribute. The exact mechanics behind Moments are still somewhat mysterious, but it will be fascinating to witness its evolution.

Another convenient way to add content to Journal is by utilizing the iPhone’s share sheet. Users can save links and media from various apps and websites, and Journal saves rich links back to the source. Although the intentions are commendable, there are some shortcomings in execution. For example, the app may not recognize a user’s subscription status for certain services, leading to incomplete previews. Journal is primarily focused on providing a seamless journaling experience, rather than replacing bookmarking or read-later apps. It lacks features like tags or folders and may appeal more to beginners in the realm of journaling.

While it is true that our phones possess a deep understanding of us compared to other devices, it raises questions about our reliance on technology and the role of AI in our lives. Reflecting on my experiences with Apple Watch notifications urging me to stand while I’m unwell, I ponder if our devices truly know us or whether we should take responsibility in teaching them more about us. Is this the AI-driven future we envision? Sorry for delving into existential matters, but such thoughts tend to arise during extensive journaling sessions.