iOS 17 set to feature journaling app that could help improve mental health

Apple is reportedly gearing up to introduce its own journaling app along with its much-awaited mobile operating system, iOS 17. According to a study by the University of Rochester Medical Center, journaling can help you manage your anxiety, cope with depression and even reduce stress.

In other words, keeping a journal can help you improve your mental health. Most teenagers stop using a diary to confess their struggles and fears after reaching adulthood, but its benefits still apply. However, it is now called journaling. According to URMC research, keeping a journal helps you reduce anxiety, depression, and stress.

Journaling helps people struggling with stress to identify what's causing that stress and anxiety. Aside from this, it gives you a chance to engage in positive self-talk and to get rid of negative thoughts. Also, it helps you recognise triggers and learn to control them. Overall, journaling helps you prioritise concerns, fears, and problems.

Now, Apple looks set to bring a journaling app to iOS 17. The Wall Street Journal obtained documents that suggest the app is internally referred to as Jurassic.

Furthermore, the app will use calls, text, and other on-device data to track a user's activity. The app is designed to remind users what they accomplished each day and encourage them to write. The journaling app is also capable of determining if you've had an exceptional day worth writing about.

However, there are some concerns regarding data privacy since journaling is a private process. So, the journaling app might save an analysis of the user's day as on-device data to safeguard their personal information. Also, it is unknown whether the feature will be available on macOS 14 as well. Notably, the journaling app could be pre-installed on iOS 17.

Apple's journaling app appearance, other key details

Vox Media product manager Parker Ortolani created a concept for Apple's purported journal app in iOS 17 following the WSJ's report. "I see it as a combination of Notes and Health," Parker said. The app could bring meditation and reflections to iPhone users while finding new ways to help them feel better. Moreover, Parker believes users will be able to access various categories in the journal app.

The concept shows how the journal app might look on the Apple Watch and iPhone. There are multiple categories for iCloud syncing, types of journals, and more. If the app manages to garner popularity among users, the company will probably bring it to iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices. It is worth noting that the Mac is a better platform when it comes to sitting down and writing longer text compared to an iPad or iPhone.

However, Apple's entry into the journaling market has a popular personal journaling app dubbed Day One concerned. To those unaware, Day One is currently at the forefront of the journaling app segment with more than a whopping 15 million downloads. Day One founder Paul Mayne told the Wall Street Journal that his app is being "Sherlocked."

Apple has a reputation for taking the feature or functionality of other third-party apps and adding them to its operating system or its stock apps. This is referred to as being Sherlocked. To recap, Apple named its search tool after the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. However, another developer outperformed the tool with a similar service called Watson over twenty years ago.

The Cupertino-based tech giant responded by releasing a new version of Sherlock with Watson-like features. So, Day One creators are understandably concerned about the tech behemoth adding Day One-style features to its own journaling app. Nevertheless, these speculations will be put to rest once Apple releases iOS 17. Regrettably, the company is still mum on its plan to unveil its next OS.

iOS expected release date, latest speculations

According to an earlier report, Apple is planning to showcase iOS 17 on the first day of WWDC 2023, which kicks off on June 5. Furthermore, the report suggests the new operating system will not boast a myriad of new features since it won't be a big update like the iOS 16. So, it is safe to say that the aforesaid journaling app will be one of the most notable features of iOS 17.

Moreover, the upcoming mobile OS will reportedly support the same iPhone models that are supported by the existing iOS 16 operating system. This includes iPhone 14 series, iPhone 13 series, iPhone 12 series, iPhone 11 series, iPhone X series, and iPhone SE series. Aside from this, the iOS 17 could be compatible with the long-rumoured iPhone 15 lineup.