Apple's Rumored "Jurassic" Journaling App Set to Challenge Third-Party Competitors

Apple is reportedly developing an in-house journaling app, codenamed "Jurassic," aiming to capitalize on the growing popularity of logging thoughts and daily activities. The Wall Street Journal suggests the app may be unveiled as a feature in iOS 17 at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

The rumored journaling app could offer suggestions for users to write about by analyzing on-device usage data, identifying changes in daily activities and highlighting the presence of friends and colleagues. Apple plans to process this data on-device, storing journaling suggestions for up to four weeks before deletion.

This move could potentially put Apple in direct competition with third-party journaling apps such as Day One, reviving accusations of "Sherlocking" – when a major platform operator develops a native feature that replaces functionality offered by third-party services. Day One founder Paul Mayne, upon learning of Apple's Jurassic plans, acknowledged the upcoming competition.

Apple's potential journaling app would enjoy several advantages over third-party competitors like Day One, including less pressure to monetize the app directly and the ability to preload it onto devices. Apple declined to comment on the report, and while a WWDC announcement in June is possible, the app's unveiling could be delayed.