Image: Foundry
It wouldn’t be WWDC if Apple didn’t do a little stealing. In fact, Apple has such a longtime habit of introducing new software features that overlap and eventually overtake third-party Mac apps there’s even a term for it. Sherlocking comes from Apple’s Sherlock app, one of the first to usurp a popular third-party alternative called Watson back in the 1990s.
This practice was on display again at WWDC 2025, where Apple introduced several new features in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe that looked eerily similar to those offered by independent apps and developers. Of course, we’re not going to complain about new capabilities in macOS, and Apple is far from the only company to add features that have been done elsewhere before. But if you’re a fan of one of these apps, they might not be around for much longer.
Alfred
Alfred is a popular productivity app that adds a suite of controls that level up your Mac. That includes an app and file launcher that is accessed through a floating text-entry bar, in-app controls that can be activated using your keyboard, extensive clipboard history, and text snippets that act as shortcuts for various tasks. Starting to sound familiar?
It should, because this closely mirrors the radical overhaul that Apple brought to Spotlight in macOS Tahoe. Instead of a simple search box, Spotlight has now been empowered with a range of new abilities. It can work within apps to launch menu bar controls, comes with parameters for filling out emails and text messages, has deep integration with Shortcuts, and even utilizes text snippets to kickstart actions with just a few taps.
Alfred still has a few tricks up its sleeve that haven’t yet made it into Spotlight, such as 1Password integration and visual theming, but the gulf between it and Spotlight has been closed significantly. And Apple is likely only just getting started.
Apple previewed a much more powerful Spotlight search at WWDC.
Apple
Route
If you’re someone who frequently has parcels delivered to your door, you know how important it is to keep track of everything that’s on the way. Most package junkies likely already use the feature-rich third-party app Route to stay on top of their packages, but with iOS 26, that can be done natively on your iPhone.
It’s achieved by using Apple Intelligence to scan your emails and messages and pull out relevant delivery information, such as tracking numbers and carrier companies. This is then collated in the Wallet app, giving you a centralized place to keep an eye on your parcels without needing to download any other apps. Best of all, it’s all done automatically, so all you need to do is buy something.
Flighty
The iOS 26 update has seen a major upgrade for virtual boarding passes stored in the Wallet app, with directions to your terminal gate and help finding lost luggage equipped with an AirTag or other FindMy tracker. So far, no Sherlocking there.
But that all changes when you consider the Live Activities functionality that has been added to boarding passes. There will now be a widget that shows current flight status (such as how long until it’s due to land), the plane’s arrival terminal and baggage claim desk number, airline info, and flight number, and more. That closely matches the Live Activities offered by the popular flight-tracking app Flighty.
Flighty still has the edge in some ways, such as its rapid delay alerts that can reach you before even the airline’s own notifications. But there’s no doubt that Apple has swooped in and launched its own solution that covers a lot of the same ground as Flighty.
The flight tracking live activity built into iOS 26 is extremely similar to Flighty.
Apple
Bartender
At WWDC, Apple lifted the lid on its Liquid Glass visual redesign. Inspired by visionOS, this brings transparency and glass-like effects to almost every Apple device and operating system. One aspect of that in macOS is that the menu bar can now be totally transparent. But there’s another menu bar tweak that might not have pleased the developers of the popular Bartender app.
That’s because in macOS Tahoe, you can quickly and easily hide third-party icons from your menu bar. This is a feature that you’ll also find in Bartender, and easily one of the main reasons why people love the longtime utility. There’s no telling how much time Bartender has saved users by eliminating the need to bounce between app settings.
For power users, Bartender probably isn’t under existential threat from Apple just yet, as it offers a lot more functionality that isn’t natively matched by macOS, with far more customization options and a handy tool palette that pops out below your menu bar. But for casual users, Bartender just got Sherlocked.
Bartender still has some near tricks, but Apple has made one of its best features irrelevant in macOS 26.
bartender
Truecaller
We’ve all been faced with unwanted spam calls that interrupt our day, ranging from the mildly annoying to the downright malicious. For years, the Truecaller app has helped iPhone users steer clear of scammers and telemarketers by identifying unknown callers, blocking spammers, rooting out fraudulent text messages, and requiring callers to identify themselves before they’re let through. It got even better in iOS 18.2 when Apple added a Live Caller ID Lookup API with real-time spam blocking.
Unfortunately for Truecaller, iOS 26 can now do some of these things by itself. The Call Screening feature, for instance, asks callers to explain why they’re contacting you, then shows the results in text on your screen, letting you ignore the call or pick it up when you’re ready. For most people, that might be better than identifying spammers.
Author: Alex Blake, Contributor
Alex has been dabbling in Apple tech since he first got an iPhone 3GS and promptly jailbroke it for reasons he can’t quite remember. Since then, he’s interviewed Apple executives, scoured the internet for the most interesting apps and games, written countless features and how-to guides, and begrudgingly convinced himself that building a Hackintosh is probably more effort than it’s worth. Based in the UK, he enjoys hiking, gaming, soccer, and the occasional spot of cidermaking.
