Apple rumored to be working on an activity journaling app to assist with Health tracking

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in iOS edited April 2023
Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a daily journal iPhone app as it continues to pursue mental and physical health features.

The existing Day One journaling app
The existing Day One journaling app


This could well be the latest example of either Apple pursuing the obvious next step, or of Apple Sherlocking an existing app. The company is reportedly working on an app that, at least primarily, would feature daily journaling for iPhone users.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the new app -- codenamed Jurassic -- will center on encouraging users to write a daily journal recording their activities, and thoughts. As a first-party app on the iPhone, though, it also be more able to automatically compile information a user wants, such as health records, or text messages.

There are many journaling apps for the iPhone, but the clear leader in its field is Day One.

"It's always the worst thing to have to hear that you're about to be sherlocked," Day One founder Paul Mayne told the Wall Street Journal. "It will definitely give us some competition."

Mayne also said that he had suspected Apple was working on a competing app. He says that three years ago, the prominence Day One used to get on the App Store ceased.

Two years ago, Mayne sold Day One to Automattic Inc, though he continues to oversee work on the app.

Documents describing Apple's Jurassic app, seen by the publication, say that it will analyze a user's behavior to record a typical day's routine, such as noting how much time is spent at home compared work. It may automatically note when something unusual happens, perhaps such as a going out of town for a day trip.

A featured called "All Day People Discovery" will reportedly detect physical proximity to other people. The Wall Street Journal says the app will in some unspecified way aim to distinguish between colleagues and friends.

Inevitably, Apple's plans are said to include much about privacy with the app. The analysis is expected to take place on-device, and Apple will offer suggestions about what to include in a day's journal, but delete those suggestions after a month.

Apple has previously been accused of using software developers as "market research" for its own subsequent apps and services. It's also had similar accusations, and lawsuits, over certain hardware features, particularly health ones in the Apple Watch.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,162member
    I would like an alternative to Garmin Connect and Strava, please. TIA.
    Japhey
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 2 of 8
    MisterKitmisterkit Posts: 520member
    I used Day One until it went subscription. Been using Notes since and it does everything I need. It will be interesting to see what Apple brings to the table.
    Japheydewmedesignrlowededwookie
     4Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 8
    Japheyjaphey Posts: 1,773member
    I don’t give a shit if it IS Apple…there’s no way that an app which literally detects and records the people in my vicinity is going anywhere near my iPhone. Are you kidding me?

    I can’t wait to see how Apple sells this Orwellian trojan horse to people. And I really can’t wait to see how the kool-aid drinkers around here try to spin it. 

    “But, but… what about Apple & privacy?” Yes, it’s true that we give Apple more of our trust than most other companies. But it’s only a matter of time before governments around the world achieve their ultimate goal of unfettered backdoor access to everyone’s devices. Can we really trust that one of them won’t use this information nefariously?

    That last question was rhetorical. 
    edited April 2023
    muthuk_vanalingamdewme
     1Like 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 4 of 8
    Japheyjaphey Posts: 1,773member
    designr said:
    Japhey said:
    I don’t give a shit if it IS Apple…there’s no way that an app which literally detects and records the people in my vicinity is going anywhere near my iPhone. Are you kidding me?

    I can’t wait to see how Apple sells this Orwellian trojan horse to people. And I really can’t wait to see how the kool-aid drinkers around here try to spin it. 

    “But, but… what about Apple & privacy?” Yes, it’s true that we give Apple more of our trust than most other companies. But it’s only a matter of time before governments around the world achieve their ultimate goal of unfettered backdoor access to everyone’s devices. Can we really trust that one of them won’t use this information nefariously?

    That last question was rhetorical. 

     You talk the talk…do you walk the walk?

    😎
    edited April 2023
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 8
    I bet all my money this is for prompting Siri 2.0 aka your personal LLM driven personal AI 😉
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 8
    I like the idea of this app a lot. I think Apple is using this app to test the idea for other products.

    weirdly I did write a hypothetical scenario where this level of location monitoring would be a massive advantage here:

    https://ecency.com/ai/@thelowededwookie/is-ai-a-tool-a-gimmick-or-the-death-of-us-all-part-4

    My scenario uses Apple Maps though and would create accurate maps on the fly based on location to people in the same car and in other cars.

    It’s a bit of a David Lange (long post) but it gives an idea how AI can help us. I chose Apple because it makes sense they’d do it responsibly. If this rumour is true then it seems I’m not that far off.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 8
    This is what I am looking for a long time.  I have been using Apple Calendar app for journaling. 
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
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