Apple has been on a spree lately, announcing a slew of new features for its various devices earlier this week at WWDC 2024.
However, many of these features were already available to some extent on Apple devices through third-party apps. So, as in previous years, we’ll be looking at the ideas that Apple has dragged into this year’s updates.
But what do we mean that Apple “Sherlock” something?
In the late 90s, Apple released a search app called Sherlock for macOS 8 that you could use to search the web and files on local systems. Now, a company called Karelia Software already had a $29 search app called Watson, with features like plugins to better search the web. In 2002, Apple released Sherlock 3 with features similar to those of Watson, making Karelia’s app redundant. Since then, people in tech circles have been using the term “sherlocking” whenever they want to refer to a new feature from Apple that does the same thing as an existing third-party app.
Feature: The new password app
Sherlocked Apps: 1 Password, LastPass, BitWarden, Pass Proton
Apple is launching a new standalone password manager for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, visionOS and Windows. You’ve had a password manager until now, but it contained a sub-menu in the Settings app.
This new app will essentially do the same thing as third-party password managers, which may see fewer new users as some people may just choose to use the built-in password manager now. However, most third-party apps in this space also offer apps and integrations on Android, Windows, and Linux, and can store other information like addresses and credit cards.
Feature: Call recording and transcription
Sherlocked Apps: TapeACallTruecaller
Apple has finally introduced native call recording and transcription within the Phone app. While apps like TapeACall and Turecaller have offered call recording for a while now, you had to call another number to enable it. This is because Apple has not allowed third parties to access its call stack.
Feature: Voice Transcription
Sherlocked Apps: Otter, AudioPen, Voicenotes.com
In addition to call transcription, Apple will also offer voice transcription in apps like Notes with upcoming updates. This takes up the space previously occupied by apps like Otter, AudioPen, and Voicenotes.com.
However, third-party apps can do a variety of other things—Otter, for example, is great for transcribing meetings and video calls, and AudioPen and Voicenotes.com offer AI-powered summarization and formatting capabilities. So users will have to choose how much functionality they want from voice transcription services.
Feature: Mirror iPhone to Mac
Sherlocked Application: Bezel
Apple’s new updates will bring the ability to mirror your iPhone to a Mac, allowing you to control your phone remotely. Users will be able to receive iPhone notifications on your Mac device and easily drag and drop files, photos and videos between devices.
Until now, you had to use Bezel to do this, but that required connecting your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch using a cable to mirror the device. The app’s developer said that with Apple’s update on the horizon, they will be evaluating their next steps.
Feature: Window overlay on Mac
Sherlocked Apps: Magnet, Rectangle
This isn’t exactly a revolutionary feature, since Windows and Linux have allowed you to tile windows for years. On Mac, you had to use third-party applications such as Magnet and Rectangle to make the operating system easily arrange windows in different ways.
Apple is finally bringing this feature to the upcoming macOS Sequoia, but third-party apps may still be able to retain users by offering better customization options, such as options for different window sizes, the ability to rearrange workspaces with a shortcut, hide windows in edge of the screen and pinning an app to one side.
Feature: Custom emojis
Sherlocked Application: Newji
Another upcoming feature is the ability to create new emojis using prompts and the new AI engine. You can type messages like “A fox as a DJ” to create a new emoji. Until now, you could use an app called Newji to do the same thing.
Feature: Custom Maps
Sherlocked Application: Alltrails
Apple Maps is getting an update as part of iOS 18 that will let US-based users explore national park trails, create custom routes and save them for offline use. You had to use AllTrails to do all this, but the advantage of this app may be that it already has a community. In addition, it offers routes beyond national parks and into other countries.
What’s ahead
It’s worth remembering that Apple has to strike a balance here: It has to keep up with competition from Google and Microsoft while also making money from the App Store, so it can’t just add features that kill third-party apps. . That said, some of these sherlocked apps may survive by offering custom or enterprise solutions, but some small indie apps will eventually lose users to Apple.
One odd anomaly this time around is Apple’s Writing Tools suite, which is powered by the company’s AI. The App Store currently has dozens of email and note-taking apps that let you change the tone of a piece of writing, rewrite it, reformulate it altogether, or summarize some text. You might even count Grammarly as a sherlocked app now that Apple also provides proofreading features.
