It wouldn’t be WWDC if Apple didn’t do a little stealing. Apple has such a long -lasting habit of introducing new software features that overlap and eventually overtake third -party apps, 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 shown again on WWDC 2025, with Apple introducing several new features in iOS 26 and MacOS Tahoe, which looked terrible as those offered by independent apps and developers. Of course, we will not complain about new opportunities in MacOS, and Apple is far from the only company that adds features that have been done elsewhere before. But if you are a fan of one of these apps, they may not be much anymore.
Alfred
Alfred is a popular productivity app that adds a package of controls that levels up on your Mac. It includes an app and file starter that is accessed via a floating text input line, checks in the app that can be activated using your keyboard, comprehensive clipboard history and text excerpts that act as shortcuts to various tasks. Starting to sound well known?
It should because this closely reflects the radical overhaul that Apple brought to Spotlight in MacOS Tahoe. Instead of a simple search box, Spotlight is now empowered with a number of new abilities. It can work in apps to start menu checks, come with parameters for filling E -emails and text messages, has deep integration with shortcuts and even uses text excerpts to kick -start actions with only a few taps.
Apple preview of a much more powerful limelight search on WWDC.
Apple
Alfred still has a few tricks up the sleeve that have not yet made it spotlight, such as 1password integration and visual theme, but the gap between it and Spotlight has been closed significantly. And Apple is probably just just getting started.
Route
If you are someone who often has packages delivered to your door, you know how important it is to keep track of everything that is on the way. Most packaging marks are probably already using the functional third -party Appruit to stay on top of their packages, but with iOS 26 it can be made naturally on your iPhone.
It is achieved by using Apple Intelligence to scan your E emails and messages and to withdraw relevant delivery information such as tracking numbers and transport companies. This is then gathered in the Wallet app, giving you a centralized place to keep an eye on your packages without having to download other apps. Best of all, it’s all done automatically, so all you have to do is buy something.
Flighty
The iOS 26 update has seen a major upgrade to virtual boarding passes stored in the wallet app, with instructions for your terminal port and help find lost luggage equipped with an airtag or other findmy tracker. So far no sherlocking there.
But that changes when you consider the living activity functionality that is added to boarding passes. There will now be a widget showing the current flight status (eg how long until it is due to land), the aircraft’s arrival terminal and luggage signing number, airline info and flight number and more. It closely matches the live activities offered by the popular flight tracking app Flighty.
Flyy still has the edge in some ways, such as its quick delay alerts that can reach you before even the airline’s own messages. But there is no doubt that Apple has swung in and launched its own solution, which covers a lot for the same reason as flying.
The flight tracking live activity built into iOS 26 looks very flying.
Apple
Bartender
At WWDC, Apple lifted the lid on its liquid glass visual redesign. Inspired by Visionos brings this transparency and glass-like effects to almost all Apple devices and operating system. One aspect of that in MacOs is that the menu bar can now be completely transparent. But there is another fine -tuning of the menu bar that may not have pleased the developers of the popular bartender app.
This is because in MacOS Tahoe you can quickly and easily hide third -party icons from your menu bar. This is a feature that you also find in bartender, and easily one of the main reasons why people love the long -standing tool. There is nothing to tell how much time bartender has saved users by removing the need to jump between app settings.
For power users, bartender is probably not under the existential threat of Apple yet, as it offers much more functionality that is not natively matched by macOS, with far more customization options and a practical tool paddle that emerges under your menu bar. But for relaxed users, bartender was just sherlocked.
Bartender still has some almost tricks, but Apple has done one of its best features irrelevant in MacOS 26.
bartender
Truecaller
We have all been confronted with unwanted spam calls that interrupt our day, from the mildly annoying to the straightforward malicious. For years, the Truecaller has helped iPhone users to avoid scammers and telemarketers by identifying unknown callers, blocking spammers, eradicating false text messages and demanding that callers identify before being passed through. It got even better in iOS 18.2 when Apple added a Live Caller ID post API with real-time spam blocking.
Unfortunately for TrueCaller, iOS 26 can now do some of these things by themselves. E.g. Call screening screening asks callers to explain why they contact you, and then show the results in text on your screen so you can ignore the call or pick it up when you’re ready. For most people it can be better than identifying spammers.