Having used Journal for just a few days now, I really feel assured saying that Day One will not be staring down an existential risk — not less than not but. Consider we’re speaking about Apple has a widely known historical past of Sherlocking new apps with function updates (it was, in spite of everything, the corporate that gave rise to the time period), however in its present type, the brand new journaling app nonetheless has a methods to go to meet up with Day One’s head begin.

In spite of everything, the Automattic-owned app has been kicking for greater than a decade, at this level. It’s value mentioning right here that Apple’s lengthy been a fan of their work, naming it “Mac App of the 12 months” in 2014 and giving it an Apple Design Award two years later.

“Fairly than seeing this as competitors, we embrace Apple’s entry into digital journaling as a testomony to its rising significance,” Paul Mayne, head of Day One advised TechCrunch. “This evolution is not only helpful for Day One, but additionally for our valued customers.”

It’s the rising tide strategy to going through down a juggernaut. I feel it’s protected to say that Apple getting into your small slice of the App Retailer is a form of validation of your mission. Day One has a reasonably loyal fanbase, from what I collect, and switching over to a different app solely could also be extra bother than it’s value. We’ll should reassess the state of affairs when Journal has a wider function set and is (hopefully) obtainable on extra platforms.

Picture Credit: Apple

Day One’s cross-device performance/syncing has been a giant promoting level for me — I paid for the premium model for exactly that cause. When Apple introduced Journal at WWDC, I used to be excited to test it out. In spite of everything, Apple is the ecosystem firm. Absolutely the corporate would prioritize the creation of an app that works on macOS and iPadOS, together with iOS.

I’m not saying “by no means.” In actual fact, I’m not even saying “positively not subsequent 12 months.” However as I write this, the corporate has expressed no plan to supply the app on different first-party platforms, despite all of the work it has achieved lately to take away the friction that comes with porting an iOS app to macOS. In the mean time, Apple’s stance is that iOS is the very best approach to expertise the app.

Within the meantime, the closet it involves cross-device syncing is its assist of iCloud backups.

I consider that’s very a lot rooted in the way in which that content material is centered. Journal could be very a lot being positioned as a multi-media app. The idea is to transcend the usual textual content journal by absolutely harnessing the ability of digital. There’s little query that the iPhone is a extra versatile content material seize system than the Mac. Which means images, movies and voice recordings. It’s additionally a tool tied to (opt-in) location-based providers, which performs an element right here.

As you’ve seemingly gathered from my 7.5 years at TechCrunch, I’m a author. And in contrast to lots of people who’ve been doing what I do for a very long time, I nonetheless like it. After I punch the clock for the day or weekend, I maintain doing it. For some cause, I used to be initially hesitant about journaling. I don’t know. An excessive amount of earnestness feels corny to me. I additionally got here up as a blogger, so the moment gratification of writing for an viewers is now woven into my DNA.

As soon as I pressured myself to do it, nonetheless, after all I favored it. It’s unencumbered writing. And it’s writing solely about oneself in a method I by no means had earlier than. As a author, it’s in all probability apparent that writing is one of the simplest ways for me to course of my experiences. It was a helpful device throughout the pandemic and an ideal useful resource for somebody with an admittedly horrible reminiscence.

Picture Credit: Apple

Being a author, nonetheless, means I have a tendency to jot down lengthy — simply spilling my ideas onto the paper. For me, essentially the most tough facet of journaling is the tacit acknowledgement that it’s not possible to get your whole ideas down on the similar time. However I discover getting my ideas all the way down to be a way more frictionless course of whereas utilizing a laptop computer. With Apple’s imaginative and prescient for Journal, nonetheless, textual content is sort of secondary to images, movies and textual content.

Clearly, pictures and video are nice for evoking visceral recollections, however writing by issues on the finish of an extended day is a good way to course of the final 24 hours. And sitting down in entrance of a laptop computer is a good way to provide that processing the eye it deserves.

Options are the actual secret sauce right here. Apple is trying to differentiate itself by providing writing prompts primarily based on algorithmically curated moments that span the corporate’s ecosystem, together with images, exercises and different media. The corporate says the opt-in function will enhance the extra you utilize the app, although actually, I don’t suppose I’ve been utilizing the app for lengthy sufficient to actually get that algorithmic enhance.

It’s a pleasant function for individuals who wrestle to replenish a digital pocket book each day. My suspicion is that Apple got here up with the thought of content-driven prompts after which constructed a journaling app round it. In actual fact, the corporate has already opened up an API that lets rivals entry the aforementioned secret sauce. It’s an fascinating and novel play for Apple, however maybe it’ll additional sluggish future Sherlocking within the class. I’m typically of the opinion that extra competitors = good.

Picture Credit: Apple

There are some good safety touches. For one, the app will be checked out with a code, so somebody who has entry to your telephone can’t learn these private musings.

The app will nearly definitely be in comparison with extra established journaling choices for some time. Journal is a bit barebones when in comparison with the veterans. Relying in your desire, that may both be a adverse or optimistic. Some will nearly definitely love its simplicity. Others will lament its lack of customization choices, folders and tags. Voice recordings, in the meantime, don’t save as transcriptions.

There’s additionally a number of alternative for deeper integration with the prevailing ecosystem. How concerning the new temper logging function tied to Apple’s new psychological well being choices? Very like that function, Journal will be set as much as ship you notifications when new options pop up. Tying the 2 collectively looks like a no brainer.

Consider, we’re nonetheless early on this. Heck, it’s nonetheless solely obtainable as a part of iOS 17.2’s public beta. There’s a number of room for progress right here, and journalers are usually a passionate selection, so Apple will nearly definitely be getting a number of suggestions, together with from me, as I shout from the rooftops for a Mac model.