WWDC 2025: Examining the Features Apple 'Sherlocked' from Third-Party Apps

Every year, Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) brings a wave of excitement with announcements of new features and updates across its vast ecosystem of operating systems – iOS, macOS, watchOS, and more. WWDC 2025 was no exception, showcasing a slew of major design and feature updates. However, a recurring theme that often sparks debate within the developer community and among long-time Apple observers is the phenomenon known as "Sherlocking."

The term "Sherlocking" refers to Apple integrating a feature into its operating system or first-party applications that was previously a core function of a successful third-party app. This often renders the third-party app less necessary or even obsolete for a significant portion of users, particularly those who only needed that specific functionality.

The origin of the term dates back to the late 1990s. Apple had a desktop search application called Sherlock. In 2002, Apple released Sherlock 3, which incorporated features for searching the web and specific internet content (like shopping and flights) that were remarkably similar to those offered by a popular third-party utility called Watson, developed by Karelia Software. Watson was a paid application that extended Sherlock's capabilities through plug-ins. When Apple built these features directly into Sherlock, it severely impacted Watson's viability, eventually leading to its discontinuation. Thus, the act of Apple incorporating a third-party app's key feature into its own software became known as "Sherlocking."

While controversial, Sherlocking is a strategic move for Apple. It allows the company to enhance the core functionality of its platforms, providing a more integrated and seamless experience for users without requiring them to download separate apps. For developers, however, it can be a challenging aspect of building for the Apple ecosystem, as a successful app's core idea might one day become a standard system feature.

WWDC 2025 continued this tradition, with several new features across macOS, iOS, and watchOS drawing comparisons to existing third-party applications. Let's delve into some of the notable instances of Sherlocking observed this year.

The New Spotlight on macOS: Stepping into Productivity Launcher Territory

Sherlocked apps: Raycast, Launchbar

Spotlight, Apple's built-in search feature on macOS, has long been a convenient way to find files, launch apps, and perform quick calculations. However, power users have often turned to third-party productivity launchers like Raycast and Launchbar for more advanced workflows, quick actions, and deep system integration.

At WWDC 2025, Apple unveiled a significantly revamped Spotlight experience for macOS. While Raycast, for instance, offers a broad suite of tools, including a developer platform and extensive integrations, the new Spotlight appears to be encroaching on some of the core functionalities that made these third-party launchers indispensable for many.

The updated Spotlight now presents suggested apps and commands upon activation, mirroring a key feature of Raycast. More significantly, Apple introduced "Actions" within Spotlight. These actions allow users to perform various tasks directly from the search interface, such as adding events to a calendar, creating GIFs, or managing files by creating folders. This capability is strikingly similar to the quick actions and workflows that Raycast users rely on daily.

Furthermore, the new Spotlight gains the ability to access items from the menus of active windows, providing a more contextual search experience. Users can also define custom short strings to trigger specific actions, offering a level of personalization previously found in third-party tools. Apple also announced support for the Intents API in Spotlight, enabling developers to integrate actions from their own apps, potentially offering a path for third-party launchers to still add value, albeit within Apple's framework.

While Raycast has been expanding its reach, including an expansion to Windows and iOS and the integration of AI features, the enhanced native Spotlight poses a direct challenge to its core macOS user base. The convenience of a built-in, deeply integrated system feature is a powerful draw for many users, potentially shifting some away from dedicated third-party launchers.

Flight Tracking via Live Activities: Bringing Travel Info to the Forefront

Sherlocked apps: Flighty

Flight tracking has become an essential tool for travelers and those picking up loved ones. Apps like Flighty have built a strong following by providing detailed, real-time flight information, push notifications for status changes, and features like sharing flight progress. Flighty even received an Apple Design Award, highlighting its quality and utility within the Apple ecosystem.

With iOS 26, Apple is integrating robust flight tracking capabilities directly into the Wallet app, leveraging the Live Activities feature. This allows users to see and share real-time flight status updates directly on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island, providing glanceable information without needing to open a specific app.

Beyond just status updates, Apple Maps is also being enhanced with detailed airport navigation, offering information on gates, security checkpoints, shops, baggage claim areas, food options, and restrooms. While Flighty and similar apps often provide some of this information, integrating it directly into the native Maps and Wallet apps makes it easily accessible for all iOS users.

For an app like Flighty, which specializes in providing a premium, feature-rich experience around flight tracking and management (including managing check-ins, historical flight data, and more), Apple's move means the basic, most commonly used features are now natively available. This could impact Flighty's potential user base, although dedicated travelers might still opt for the more comprehensive features offered by the third-party app.

AI Model Integration with Xcode: A Native Coding Assistant

Sherlocked apps: Alex for Xcode

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming software development, with AI-powered coding assistants becoming increasingly popular. These tools help developers write code faster, find and fix bugs, and understand complex codebases. Alex for Xcode is one such application, designed specifically to augment the development experience within Apple's integrated development environment (IDE), Xcode.

Alex for Xcode offers a range of AI-assisted features, including web search integration, automated bug fixing suggestions, the ability to run terminal commands, code search, support for local AI models, and inline code replacement.

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced its own significant step into this space by integrating AI models directly into Xcode 26. Notably, they are making ChatGPT the default AI assistant within the IDE. Furthermore, Apple is providing APIs that allow developers to connect other AI models using their own API keys, offering some flexibility.

This native integration of AI assistance directly into Xcode represents a clear Sherlocking of third-party tools like Alex for Xcode. While Alex offers a broader range of functionalities beyond just AI code completion and suggestions, Apple's move provides a baseline level of AI assistance that will be available to all developers using Xcode without needing a separate application or subscription (depending on the AI model used).

For specialized AI coding assistants, the challenge will be to offer features and integrations that go significantly beyond Apple's native offering or cater to niche development workflows not covered by the default integration.

Local Podcast Recording on iPad: Empowering Creators Natively

Sherlocked apps: Riverside

Remote podcast and video recording platforms like Riverside gained significant traction, especially in the era of remote collaboration. These platforms often provide features for recording high-quality audio and video tracks locally on each participant's device before uploading and syncing them, ensuring better quality regardless of internet connection stability. Riverside, for example, has expanded its platform to include a full editing suite and other creator tools, securing significant funding to fuel its growth, including a $30 million Series C round.

At WWDC 2025, Apple introduced a new Local Capture feature on the iPad. This feature allows creators to record high-quality video locally using any video calling application and then easily share these recordings. While the announcement was somewhat brief, it suggests Apple is building native capabilities for creators who need reliable, high-fidelity recordings from remote participants.

This feature directly addresses one of the core problems that platforms like Riverside were built to solve: achieving high recording quality independent of network conditions by recording locally. While Apple's initial implementation might be focused on video capture within video calling apps and the extent of its editing capabilities remains unclear compared to a dedicated platform like Riverside, it lays the groundwork for native support for high-quality remote recording.

Riverside and similar platforms will need to emphasize their end-to-end solutions, including advanced editing tools, hosting, distribution, and collaboration features, to differentiate themselves from Apple's built-in functionality.

Notes for Apple Watch: Bringing a Core App to the Wrist

Sherlocked apps: Plenty of apps with similar functionality

For years, users wanting to access or create notes on their Apple Watch had to rely on third-party applications. While the iPhone has a native Notes app, its absence on the WatchOS platform created an opportunity for developers to fill the gap with various note-taking and syncing solutions for the wrist.

With the WatchOS 26 update announced at WWDC 2025, Apple finally brought its official Notes app to the Apple Watch. This allows users to view, create, and sync notes directly from their wrist, integrating seamlessly with the Notes app on their iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

This is a classic example of Sherlocking a category of apps rather than a single specific one. Numerous developers had created apps to provide note-taking functionality on the Apple Watch, and the introduction of a native, first-party solution directly impacts all of them. While some third-party note apps might offer unique features or different syncing options, the convenience and deep integration of Apple's own Notes app will likely become the default choice for most users.

Call Screening: Filtering Unwanted Calls Natively

Sherlocked apps: Robokiller, Truecaller

Spam calls and robocalls are a persistent nuisance. Third-party apps like Robokiller and Truecaller have gained popularity by offering advanced call screening and spam blocking features, often using databases of known spam numbers and sophisticated algorithms to identify and filter unwanted calls.

With iOS 26, Apple is introducing a new feature called Call Assist. This feature is designed to handle calls from unknown numbers silently. It can transcribe the caller's name and the reason for their call in real-time, displaying this information to the user. Based on this information, the user can then choose to accept or reject the call. The feature also allows users to type a response to ask the caller additional questions, which is then read aloud to the caller.

This native call screening functionality directly competes with the core offerings of apps like Robokiller and Truecaller. While these third-party apps often provide additional features such as SMS spam protection, reverse phone number lookups, and community-based reporting, Apple's Call Assist provides a fundamental level of screening integrated directly into the phone app, making it easily accessible and potentially reducing the need for a separate app for basic call filtering.

Parcel Tracking in Wallet: Keeping Tabs on Deliveries

Sherlocked apps: Package tracking apps

Tracking online orders and deliveries often involves juggling tracking numbers and visiting multiple carrier websites or using dedicated third-party package tracking apps. These apps consolidate tracking information from various carriers, providing a single place to monitor the status of all your packages.

At WWDC 2025, Apple announced that the Wallet app will gain the ability to track orders. Leveraging Apple Intelligence, the system can automatically identify and summarize order status information by analyzing emails from merchants and delivery services. This allows users to see the status of their deliveries directly within the Wallet app, alongside their payment cards and passes.

This feature directly Sherlocks the functionality of many dedicated package tracking apps. By automatically pulling information from emails, Apple provides a convenient, zero-effort way for users to keep track of their deliveries without needing to manually enter tracking numbers or rely on third-party services. While some third-party apps might offer more detailed tracking information, push notifications, or integrations with specific retailers, Apple's native solution covers the basic need for many users.

What Lies Ahead for Third-Party Developers?

Apple's history of Sherlocking features raises important questions for developers building on its platforms. For apps that offer a narrow range of functionality, the introduction of a similar native feature can be a significant challenge, potentially impacting their user base and business model.

However, the story isn't always one of outright replacement. As the article notes, developers have often found that Apple's implementation of a feature can sometimes increase user awareness of that capability, leading some users to seek out more powerful or customized third-party alternatives. For example, after Apple introduced native screen mirroring features, third-party apps like Bezel, which offered more advanced iPhone mirroring capabilities, continued to find users. Similarly, Unite, which allowed users to turn websites into native Mac apps before Apple introduced similar functionality, adapted by offering more specialized features for web app creation.

The key for third-party developers in the face of Sherlocking often lies in differentiation and specialization. By offering deeper functionality, more customization options, integrations with other services, or a focus on niche use cases, developers can continue to provide value that goes beyond Apple's built-in features.

Furthermore, Apple's increasing reliance on APIs and frameworks, such as the Intents API integration with the new Spotlight, can also provide opportunities for third-party apps to integrate their unique capabilities into the native system features, becoming extensions rather than direct competitors.

WWDC 2025 demonstrated Apple's continued strategy of enhancing its core operating systems with features that improve the user experience and leverage new technologies like Apple Intelligence. While this inevitably leads to Sherlocking certain third-party functionalities, the dynamic relationship between Apple and its developer community continues to evolve, pushing both the platform and the apps built upon it forward.