The wait is over as Apple’s AI-powered Journal app is finally here. Initially teased for iOS 17 in June, it has now been released alongside the latest iPhone update. iPhone users can now access the Journal app after updating to iOS 17.2.
During my testing of Apple’s new Journal, I’ve been really impressed with its unique recommendation system and how easy it is to quickly write down my thoughts for my own personal use. Apple is marketing this app as a different kind of social media, and although it may seem odd at first, after using the Journal app, I find it surprisingly refreshing to have a private space to store my thoughts, emotions, and personal goals. While receiving likes on a tweet can be satisfying, there’s something even more satisfying about expressing your thoughts on a page and viewing them from an external perspective. It may not be as addictive as social media, but it definitely brings a sense of refreshment.The Apple version of journaling apps may not have all the fancy features like third-party apps, but its simplicity is what makes it effective. Plus, the recommendation software has great potential.
How it works
The app will prompt you to write a journal entry based on a thought beginning with ‘Reflection’ when you open it for the first time. It provides thought starters to help you, such as “Reflect on something that brings you joy” or “Who is someone who can always make you burst into laughter?”. Upon completing the initial post, you can create more content by tapping on the floating plus button located at the bottom of the screen. Initially, the app will provide reflection prompts for your posts. However, as you continue using it, the app will learn more about your preferences and offer a broader range of options. These can include photo collages, workout suggestions, recent music from Apple Music, and occasionally tagged locations to indicate where the photos were taken.
Looking at it from a tech perspective, these prompts are truly exciting. They are built using on-device machine learning, which learns from your writing patterns and provides recommendations. This eliminates the anxiety of starting with a blank page and makes writing a breeze. Easily add photos, videos, voice memos, locations, and text to each post. Each entry can be backdated at the top of the page to show the precise time they occurred. Use the small bookmark icon to separate your cherished memories from regular notes.
When you feel nostalgic and want to relive your memories, you can easily sort them into different categories such as Photos, music/podcasts, Activities, Reflections, and places. Additionally, these memories are automatically backed up on your iCloud, so you can seamlessly transfer them to a new phone without any loss. In the app, you can also schedule reminders to receive push notifications for writing tasks.
Apple’s new Journal app is likely to undergo various changes and improvements as it becomes more widely used in the coming years. However, at present, its simplicity is quite appealing. It provides a user-friendly and straightforward experience. Unlike complex apps like Notion, which can be overwhelming, Journal is perfect for recording thoughts or jotting down simple notes.
All in all, this exciting new app by Apple is an excellent choice for beginning your journaling journey. Just remember not to expect it to be the absolute best journaling app out there. Instead, it focuses on providing a minimalistic experience that allows you to write without any concerns, and it excels in that aspect.
