Day One

Day One Review. The most representative diary app! But what happens in the future to them…

This app is the most representative app among diary apps. Perhaps even now, it’s likely to have the highest recognition among similar apps. Personally, I’ve been wondering if this app doesn’t have something unique to it since there are so many other diary apps out there these days, but it’s still popular. However, the future seems a bit uncertain… I’ll write it down little by little. It’s the ‘Day One‘ diary app.

Day One

Day One is originally an app well suited for people who used to keep diaries. The app is great for writing long posts.

The app has a pretty good editor.

데이 원은 앱이 언뜻 봤을 때 평범한 글쓰기 앱과 비슷합니다. 물론 에디터 성능은 꽤나 좋은 편이어서 그냥 덩그러니 글만 쓰는 앱이 결코 아니며 여러 글쓰기 서식 기능들을 잘 갖추고 있습니다. 요즘 나오는 일기 앱들은 주로 글은 최대한 간략하게 쓸 수 있도록 하는 식으로 만드는 경우가 많습니다. 필요한 질문에 대해서만 적을 수 있게 한다거나, 혹은 그냥 아이콘으로 오늘 기분 등을 쉽게 나타낼 수 있게 한다거나요. 하지만 이 데이 원은 기본적으로는 긴 글을 쓰는 것처럼 일기를 쓰는 방식입니다. 하지만 마냥 그렇게만 만들면 일기 쓸 때 부담이 있잖아요? 개발자들도 당연히 그 부분을 알고 있습니다. 일기를 쉽게 쓰게 해주는 템플릿 기능 역시 당연히 있습니다. 템플릿이 종류가 많고 좋습니다. 다만 한편으로는 앱이 번역 잘 되어있는 김에 템플릿도 번역을 해줬으면 어땠을까하는 아쉬움도 조금 있습니다…

Of course, it’s not just about posting text; you can also upload photos and such, so you can use it almost like a personal blog or social media, uploading photos taken with your phone directly. Unlike other diary apps nowadays, which often cater to those who want to write brief entries or to those who haven’t previously kept a diary (thus emphasizing concise writing), Day One has garnered a strong impression of being a diary app for those who used to write diaries frequently. So, by appropriately enhancing the editor performance, those who used to write diaries will naturally write longer entries, making it a good app for writing longer texts. Of course, it’s also great for simple journaling because of the template feature I mentioned earlier.

I got the impression that the design is much better on the iPad than on Android.

It’s a unique design anyway, so why not just make it the same for each platform…

저는 이 앱을 모든 기기 및 플랫폼에서 사용해본 것은 아니고 갤럭시 폴드 4와 아이패드 프로에서만 사용해봤습니다. 그래도 안드로이드 폰에서보다는 아이패드에서 전체적인 디자인이 훨씬 깔끔하다는 인상을 받았습니다. 아이패드에서도 서식 기능이 많지만 약간 오른쪽 구석에 버튼을 놓은 것이 좀 특이한데요, 저는 이 부분을 ‘서식에 너무 집중하지 말라’는 뜻으로 해석했습니다. 일기는 일단 쓰는 것이 중요하니까 서식이 주르륵 있으면 조금 부담스러울 수도 있잖아요? 뭐 물론 제 과대 해석일수도…

In addition to the editor interface, the layout of things like the calendar and timeline is much cleaner on the iPad, perhaps because of the wider screen. On my Fold, while something filling the screen is nice, it somehow feels a bit less sophisticated and more distant from elegance. Personally, since the Fold can use two screens anyway, I think it would be neater to have a calendar or timeline on one side and an editor on the other side, like on the iPad. Actually, while it’s possible to create something like this, I think it hasn’t been optimized for the Fold.

However, I get the feeling that touch doesn’t work well on the iPad in ‘Timeline’, ‘Media’, etc. It’s not a big bug, but it’s annoying. But every single one of these little things affects usability…

Day One has a multitude of features essential for a diary app.

As you use it, you’ll also get some sentimentality.

When it comes to diary apps, there are several essential features. First of all, there should be a timeline feature where you can occasionally view past entries you’ve written, as well as a calendar feature. It should evoke that feeling of recalling one’s past memories, and as part of that, the information about the entries should be very detailed, including the location where the diary was written and even details like the phase of the moon at that time. It seems to be a very effective arrangement for recalling ‘those were the days’. Also, since it’s important to write consistently, a daily statistics feature showing how many days in a row you’ve been writing can be very helpful. The daily statistics feature isn’t common in many writing apps, but once again, I thought it’s a really great app, to the point where it’s perfectly fine to use it as a writing app.

One of the differences that a diary app should have compared to a general writing app is the ’emotional’ aspect. First, the design should be pleasing, of course, and if it offers features like being able to use multiple journals and strong personalization options, it can be considered to have filled the emotional aspect to a certain extent. At first, I thought Day One lacked a bit in the emotional aspect, but uploading photos to the diary entries and having them displayed on the calendar added its own touch of sentimentality. Moreover, the part responsible for this sentimentality is the ‘widget,’ which comes in various types and sizes. Also great for decorating your phone…

I personally think that Day One’s price is on the expensive side.

If you consider that this app’s competitor is ‘offline diaries’ themselves… then?

Day One doesn’t offer a lifetime subscription option among its pricing plans. I personally find the annual subscription fee of around $40 to $45 quite expensive. Since Day One is a diary app, it will naturally compete with other diary apps. However, the price of around $45 is among the highest in the diary app market. While there are several writing apps that are more expensive than Day One, there are hardly any among diary apps. If you’re not using multiple platforms, the fact that the basic usage is not significantly hindered even with the free version can be comforting.

However, on the other hand, considering that this app arguably gives the closest feel to a physical diary, it can be seen as an app that also competes with actual diaries and notebooks to some extent. Actual diaries nowadays range from around $5 for low-priced ones to typically between $15 and $20, and if you buy premium ones like Moleskine, it can easily exceed $30. Thinking about it this way, it seems like there is more price competition than one might initially think. However, another variable has emerged… I’ll discuss this later.

The app that seems to be most affected by Apple’s ‘Journal’ app…

In fact, being the flagship diary app, it’s also the one with the least differentiation…

This app has its own popularity, and now that it’s been acquired by Automattic, the company behind WordPress, it seems financially stable. However, it’s facing its biggest crisis yet with Apple’s ‘Journal’ app set to debut in iOS 17 soon… It’s highly likely to become a sacrificial lamb of sorts in the face of the new ‘Sherlocking’.

Sherlocking related articles

Until now, it has been the representative of diary apps, so even as other apps differentiate themselves by making writing lighter, it has still been the best app overall. However, given that this app also comes with a certain price tag, it’s uncertain how the app will continue to operate in the future. Of course, diaries, by their nature, involve cherishing old entries and occasionally revisiting them, accumulating memories over time. So, perhaps those who have been using the app may choose to stick with Day One instead of switching to Apple’s journal app. However, Apple is a formidable competitor, and there have been more than a few apps that failed because of Apple… So, just being a classic in the diary app realm might not be enough, and some sort of reform or innovation might be necessary to ensure continued operation in the future.

Day One Conclusion

Good point

The editor performance is excellent.
Not only performance, but also design and aesthetics are appropriately attended to.

Bad point

The price is on the higher side compared to competitors.
As a leading app in the diary category, it’s somewhat less differentiated.
It seems to be facing the biggest impact from Apple’s ‘Journal’ app.

Day One Review. The most famous and iconic of all diary apps! But now it’s a direct competitor to Apple…

Day One

Day One Review. The most representative diary app! But what happens in the future to them…

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