So far Day One 2, the latest version of Bloom Built's popular journaling app for the Mac and iOS, has been mostly a disaster for the company. The original Day One (now dubbed Day One Classic and no longer available for purchase) had a consistent user rating of nearly five stars and was passionately loved by many customers.

But the new release is plagued by one star reviews from users who want DropBox and iCloud syncing added back to the app. Many users feel betrayed when they realize that Day One 2 will require them to use the developer's sync service instead of iCloud or DropBox.

The developers of Day One 2 have steadfastly refused to reconsider their position on the issue. Instead they recently took to Twitter to beg for five star reviews from their followers to try to shore up Day One 2's declining star rating in the iOS App Store.

Here's a screenshot of the tweet, along with the responses from some followers of the Day One 2 developers:



But does this strategy really make any sense for the Day One 2 developers? I think not. Instead it makes the company look weak and desperate as the full magnitude of the Day One 2 reviews and ratings disaster continues to unfold on the Mac App Store and the iOS App Store. Don't believe me? Check out the reviews on both app stores and see for yourself.

The Day One 2 developers have split their customer base

I've spent some time monitoring the reviews and star ratings of Day One 2, and it's clear to me that the developers made a big mistake in removing iCloud and DropBox syncing in the app. Over and over again I see the same low star ratings and demand for iCloud and DropBox to be added back to the app. There are, of course, still some users who have given Day One 2 a high star rating and positive reviews.

So what I see on the Mac App Store and the iOS App Store is a huge split in the customer base of Day One 2, and the split is deeply polarized. Users seems to either totally not care about DropBox and iCloud syncing or they are adamant that they won't use the app until both options are added back in a future update.

The Day One 2 developers have nobody to blame but themselves

I wonder what was going through the heads of the Day One 2 developers when they blithely decided to remove DropBox and iCloud syncing in the app. Didn't they realize that it had the potential to utterly destroy much of the loyalty and goodwill that they company had generated with the first version of Day One?

I suppose we'll never know, but it's hard to have much sympathy at this point for the Day One 2 developers. There is a hue and cry in both app stores for DropBox and iCloud syncing, but the developers have dug in their heels and clung to their position that anyone who wants to sync their journal will have to use Day One's syncing service.

Fair enough, I suppose. Day One 2 is Bloom Built LLC's app and they can do whatever they want with it. Nobody is being forced to buy it after all.

But much of their customer base has also dug in its heels and refused to buy or use Day One 2 until it can sync with DropBox or iCloud. And they seem to be every bit as determined to avoid buying or using Day One 2 as the developers do in refusing to include DropBox and iCloud syncing.

Day One 2 competitors are watching quietly in the background

Right now the Day One 2 developers are living on borrowed time while their app still has the attention of many users who need journaling software. But Day One 2's competitors have no doubt been watching the anger and frustration of many of the app's customers, and they have noted that an opportunity now exists to swoop in and steal away a large chunk of Day One's customer base.

It will be very interesting to see which app developer moves first to release a genuine challenge to Day One 2. All they have to do is provide a reasonably good journaling app that runs on OS X and iOS, and that syncs with DropBox and iCloud. If and when they do that then many angry Day One customers will jump ship and move to the new journaling app.

Losing many of their customers to a different app might be the only thing that will make the Day One 2 developers finally realize the sheer magnitude of the disaster they have inflicted on themselves by removing DropBox and iCloud syncing. My guess is that they will then move as quickly as they can to add both syncing options to Day One 2, and hopefully salvage as much of their customer base as they can.

In the end it's crystal clear that the Day One 2 developers have forgotten one very important thing: the customer is always right.

Did you miss a post? Check the Eye On Apple home page to get caught up with the latest news, discussions and rumors about Apple.