We've been preparing this feature for over two months, and it was initially rejected by the App Store when we submitted the update.

Yes, we've finally decided to start writing on our website to introduce our product in a new way. We hope this will deepen our connection with our users and help them understand us better. This is our first post.

Just yesterday, we successfully released version 2.12 of Time Diary🎉!

This version brings the much-anticipated 'Activity' feature, which we've been excited about for a long time. We've been planning and developing this feature since the beginning of the year, and after continuous testing and optimization, it's finally ready to be shared with everyone.

The release of this update encountered some hurdles, marking the first time we faced rejection from the App Store since our app's smooth launch.

We completed the final preparations for the new version late at night and submitted it for App Store review. Usually, it would enter the review stage by the next evening. Surprisingly, we woke up the next morning to find it already in review, indicating it had been under review since 5 AM, and it was already 9 AM when we noticed. This prolonged review process felt a bit ominous🤔.

As expected, by 11 AM, we received the rejection notice. Despite some prior anticipation, it was still a moment of anxiety. Although we had submitted for review many times and released several versions, we still felt nervous about each App update's review result.

The reasons for the rejection were mainly two:

1. We used the Siri framework, but Siri-related features were not found in the App. We needed to explain if Siri-related functions were indeed being used;

2. We declared the use of background location updates in our configuration files, but no feature requiring background location was observed in the App.

The first issue required us to reply with an explanation, while the second might necessitate modifications to the app's binary files, leading to the rejection of our submission.

Seeing the rejection initially caused some tension, but after some thought, we suspected that the second issue might be due to newly installed apps not generating location data, preventing the review team from experiencing the 'Activity' feature, thus resulting in the rejection.

So we promptly responded to the rejection notice, detailing each issue:

How Time Diary uses Siri functionality:

Since we employed the new ShortCut Api provided in iOS 16, this Api allows direct use of Siri functions without any user settings within the app. We also included screenshots of the ShortCut feature in our reply.

Why Time Diary requires background location update capabilities:

Our location recording utilizes the visited location api, which requires background location update capabilities. We detailed how this feature works: Location records occur only when the user's location changes and they stay in a place for some time. We also explained how to view the activity records in Time Diary, including screenshots of the display with data and corresponding widget screenshots.

Since the review was already in a state of rejection, we had no choice but to cancel the current review content and resubmit, also adding an explanation for the second issue in the review remarks. We did not modify the program code and resubmitted the same content as before.

We were still concerned about the resubmission; if it failed again, we might have to adjust the functionality. As expected, the second review took longer. Surprisingly, that evening we received the message that it was under review again, plunging us back into a state of nervous anticipation. Fortunately, this time it went smoothly, and we received approval twenty minutes later, a real surprise🎉!

This confirmed our guess: the review team, not having generated any data, did not experience the corresponding functionality and hence doubted our need for such capabilities, leading to the rejection of our app. In such cases, one generally needs to clearly explain when and how the specific function is triggered, including its display effects, and attach relevant screenshots or videos. As long as the review team fully understands the functionality, it usually passes the review smoothly.

Despite the setbacks, everything went well, and we are truly thrilled. We've waited so long for this feature, and now that it's complete and satisfactorily delivered to our users, all the effort seems very worthwhile.

While everything seemed smooth, we still overlooked some issues. Perhaps too focused on the main feature of this update, we missed some details.

Our app displays a new feature page with each version update to introduce the latest features. One of the last few to-dos before each launch includes "updating the new feature copy." However, this task was overlooked this time, and we forgot to update the copy. This led to users seeing the previous version's feature introduction on the new feature page, potentially causing them to miss the introduction of significant new features in this update.

Luckily, we added a location permission request prompt on the homepage, making every user notice the 'Activity' feature. However, this also proves that our approach has issues. People are prone to oversights, and relying on last-minute checks before version release is not always reliable. We need to rethink the implementation of this feature, being more cautious and judging the version number size rather than just the version number difference before displaying content. This also proves that every shortcut taken can lay the groundwork for future errors.

That concludes the story of this release. Let's now introduce the details of our latest update.

Firstly, the 'Activity' feature is undoubtedly the star of this update

This feature, envisioned since the initial launch of Time Diary, is a significant part of our plan for this year.

In the process of reminiscing, we often remember what happened on a particular day when reading past diaries, but many details are forgotten. Sometimes, when not recorded in a diary, memories of that period become fragmented and incomplete. Some past events are precious and worth revisiting.

To more thoroughly record users' journeys, we developed the 'Activity' feature. Once 'Always Allow' location permission is activated, Time Diary will automatically record location changes in the background, logging every activity. This recording occurs only when the user's location changes and they remain somewhere for a time, perfectly capturing the concept of 'visiting', ensuring that all past experiences and visited places leave traces.

User privacy is always our top priority. Your location data, like your diary entries, is stored only on your device or encrypted in iCloud (if iCloud sync is enabled). We will never upload your content anywhere else. Additionally, we support the backup of activity records in our backup feature, allowing you to export and store them elsewhere at any time.

You always have control over your data.

We've also optimized for battery usage, significantly reducing the app's workload when in the background, avoiding unnecessary tasks during location recording. Through our continuous optimization and testing, activating this feature does not significantly impact battery life, so you can use it with confidence.

After Time Diary records activity locations, users can easily view a summary of the day's activities on the homepage and click to see more details. On the detail page, the day's activity records are displayed in chronological order. We've also added a map at the top to visually show the user's activity locations and times. You can also click on the activity records below to see their location on the map. With this feature, we hope you have a clear understanding of every day you've experienced, whether recalling the past or recording the present.

If you wish to view past activity records, you can switch to the calendar page, click on a date, and view a summary of that day's activities in the pop-up detail page: cities visited and locations. Click to see detailed records. Memories have never been presented so clearly and in such detail.

We've also introduced two desktop widgets that display the locations visited by the user in real-time. We designed different styles for widgets of different sizes. To better utilize the space of medium-sized widgets, we added a map display on the left, showing the locations of activity records. The addition of the map made us fall in love with the medium-sized widgets! We've also made special designs for dark mode;when the system is in dark mode, the widget displays a unique starry sky effect. Countless twinkling stars, along with each activity experience, light up the path beneath our feet.

To Help Users Develop a Diary-Writing Habit, We Added a 'Write Diary' Shortcut

While the 'Converse with Siri to Create a Diary Entry' function provided by the shortcut may be infrequently used, the shortcut offers other benefits. Based on the times users record in their diaries, the system will recommend this shortcut at appropriate times. This feature adapts to user habits to better remind them to write in their diary, helping establish a diary-writing routine.

We Improved the Display of Images in the Diary

Images are now displayed in a rounded card format, making them visually softer and better aligned with the UI style of other attachments. Additionally, we've removed the background color from long images, resulting in clearer and purer display, seamlessly integrating images with text.

That covers all the details of our latest update. Along with introducing many new features, we've also fixed some existing bugs to ensure you have a smoother and more pure diary-keeping experience. We are particularly excited about the 'Activity' feature; it not only enriches the dimensions of the diary but also adds detailed records of past memories. We hope this feature will make your memories more vivid and distinct.

In our future development, we will always prioritize user privacy, ensuring that every update and improvement meets the highest standards of security and privacy. We understand the importance of privacy and are dedicated to bringing you a better diary experience, ensuring every moment of memory is safe, secure, and unforgettable.

Thank you for your continued support and patience. We look forward to witnessing the growth and evolution of Time Diary with you and embracing more exciting features and experiences together.