Every WWDC sees a number of apps Sherlocked by Apple – the colloquial term for Apple announcing new built-in features which replicate those previously available in third-party apps.
It’s always a tough break for indie developers to see the market for their apps disappear with a wave of Tim Cook’s hand, and this year is no exception …
What does Sherlocked mean?
If you’re not familiar with the term “Sherlocking,” here’s a quick recap.
Apple’s predecessor to its Spotlight search feature in macOS was known as Sherlock. This would search the Mac, and also included a modest amount of web-searching capability.
A developer called Dan Wood (using the company name Karelia) developed an app called Watson, intended to supplement Sherlock by greatly expanding the Internet search side of things. It was a highly popular and successful app – right up until Mac OS X 10.2, when Apple incorporated everything Watson did right into Sherlock. At that point, there was no longer any reason for anyone to buy Watson. The app had been Sherlocked.
It’s now used as a term for any app rendered surplus to requirements by an Apple update.
Apps Sherlocked by Apple this year
TechCrunch put together a roundup of this year’s Sherlocked apps.
Apple’s Password app
Sherlocked 1Password, LastPass, BitWarden, Proton Pass.
Call recording and transcription
Sherlocked TapeACall, Truecaller.
Voice transcription in Notes
Sherlocked Otter, AudioPen, Voicenotes.
iPhone mirroring on Mac
Sherlocked Bezel.
Window tiling on Mac
Sherlocked Magnet and Rectangle.
Custom emoji
Sherlocked Newji.
Custom maps for national park trails
Sherlocked Alltrails.
May be hope for some
As the site’s Ivan Mehta notes, some of these developers may be able to find a continued place for their apps by adding new features, or offering greater flexibility than Apple’s built-in feature. Bezel’s Mathijs Kadijik is one of those hoping to do so.
“Will take the week to play with the beta, dive into WWDC content and think about what’s the best next step. See what nice angle we can find to grow Bezel further for people wanting a bit more or different than what Apple is offering.”
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