Apple has been on a roll lately, announcing a slew of new features for its various devices earlier this week at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
But many of these features were already available to some extent on Apple devices through third-party apps. So, as we’ve done for the past few years, we’ll take a look at the ideas that Apple “Sherlocked” into this year’s updates.
But what do we mean that Apple has “locked” something?
In the late 1990s, 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 internet. In 2002, Apple released Sherlock 3 with Watson-like features, making Karelia’s app redundant. Since then, people in tech circles have been using the term “Sherlocking” when 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 applications: 1Password, LastPass, BitWarden, Proton Pass
Apple is releasing a new standalone password manager for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, VisionOS, and Windows. Until now, you had a password manager, but it was contained in a submenu in the Settings app.
This new app will essentially do the same as third-party password managers, which may see fewer new users as some people may simply choose to use the built-in password manager now. However, most third-party apps in this space also offer Android, Windows, and Linux apps and integrations, and can store other information like addresses and credit cards.
Function: Call recording and transcription
Sherlocked applications: TapeACall, Truecaller
Apple has finally introduced native call recording and transcription to the Phone app. While apps like TapeACall and Turecaller have offered call recording for some time, you had to call another number to activate it. The reason for this was that Apple did not allow third-party companies to access its call stack.
Function: Voice transcription
Sherlocked applications: Otter, AudioPen, Voicenotes.com
In addition to call transcription, Apple will also offer voice transcription in apps like Notes with upcoming updates. It takes up the space that apps like Otter, AudioPen, and Voicenotes.com used to occupy.
Still, 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 summaries and formatting capabilities. So users will have to choose how much functionality they want from voice transcription services.
Feature: Mirror iPhone to Mac
Sherlocked app: 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 it required plugging in 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: Arrange windows on Mac
Sherlocked app: Magnet, rectangle
This isn’t exactly a revolutionary feature, as Windows and Linux have allowed you to arrange windows for years. On Macs, you had to use third-party apps like Magnet and Rectangle to get the operating system to easily arrange windows in different ways.
Apple is finally bringing this feature into the upcoming MacOS Sequoia, but third-party apps may still be able to retain their users by offering better customization features like different window size options, the ability to rearrange workspaces with one shortcut, hide windows at the edge of the screen and pin an app to the side.
Feature: Custom emoticons
Sherlocked app: Newji
Another upcoming feature is the ability to create new emojis using prompts and the new AI engine. You can enter prompts like “Fox DJing” to create a new emoji. So far, you can use an app called Newji to do the same.
Feature: Custom maps
Sherlocked app: Alltrails
Apple Maps is getting an update as part of iOS 18 that will allow US-based users to explore national park trails, create custom routes and save them for offline use. You’ve had to use Alltrails to do all of this up until now, but the advantage of this app might be that it already has a community. Plus it offers routes outside the national parks and into other countries.
What’s ahead
It’s worth remembering that Apple has to find a balance here: it has to deal with competition from Google and Microsoft, but at the same time it makes money from the App Store, so it can’t just add features that kill off third-party apps completely countries. However, some of these Sherlocked apps may survive by offering custom or enterprise solutions, but some small-scale independent apps will eventually lose users to Apple.
One curious anomaly this time around is Apple’s suite of writing tools, which are powered by the company’s AI. The App Store currently has dozens of email and note-taking apps that allow you to change the tone of a written passage, rewrite it, completely reformat it, or summarize some text. You might even consider Grammarly a Sherlocked app since Apple also provides proofreading features.
