WWDC 2025: Everything that Apple ‘Sherlocked’ this time

Apple announced A multitude of major design updates and features For all of its operating systems at WWDC 2025, and as every year, the company has again built certain features that were previously available via third -party applications. In the world of apples, it is called “Sherlocking”.

At the end of the 90s, Apple launched a search application called Sherlock for MacOS 8 to allow users to search for the web and files on local systems. Another company called Karelia Software had an existing $ 29 search application called Watson, with plug-ins for better internet research. In 2002, Apple released Sherlock 3, which had characteristics similar to Watson, forcing Karelia to possibly close its application.

Since then, Tech Folk has used the term “sherlocking” to refer when Apple has built a new feature that does the same as an existing third party application.

Here are the new features that Sherlock what various applications have done in the past:

The new Spotlight application on MacOS

Sherlocked applications:: Radius,, Launching bar

Yes, Raycast does much more than spinning shortcuts together, and also provides a developer platform. But when Apple showed Mac’s new research when looking for Mac during the disposal of the speech, you could not help thinking of Raycast.

When you open Raycast, he shows that you have suggested applications and commands, which is exactly what new projectors will allow users to do for files, applications and shortcuts. The botter, however, is Apple’s “actions”, which allow you to do all kinds of things like putting an event on your calendar, making a GIF or creating a file, just like Raycast allows you to do it.

Spotlight now allows you to access the items from the menus for all active windows. In addition, you can define a short chain to perform specific actions – for example, you can define the “NewR” channel to create a new recall element. SPOTLIGHT also obtains management of the API intention so that the developers can add actions of their own applications.

Last year, Raycast extended to Windows and iOS with a series of features fueled by AI.

Flight monitoring via live activities

Sherlocked applications:: Fickle

Flightly, which allows you to follow your flights or the flights of your friends and manage checks, previously won an Apple Design Prize. With iOS 26, Apple updates the portfolio to allow users to see and share flight status via live activities.

Maps also gets the possibility of allowing you to navigate the airport with information such as doors, safety, stores, allegations of bags, food and toilets. Flighty also offers some of these features.

Integration of the AI ​​model with xcode

Sherlocked applications:: Alex for Xcode

Apple is now Chatgpt The default assistant for the XCODE 26 coding toolAnd also allows developers to connect other AI models using API keys.

This takes an application supported by combination called Alex for Xcode, which is an assistant that allows developers to carry out web research, solve problems, run terminal commands, search for code bases, use local models, replace the code online, etc.

Save Podcasts locally

Sherlocked applications:: River

On the iPad, a new local capture feature now allows creators to record videos using a video call application and to share the recordings with others.

Riverside has helped users to do so for years and also provides a complete edition sequence. It is not clear how useful or powerful for Apple’s editing tools for recording or edition of podcasts.

Notes for Apple Watch

Sherlocked applications:: Many applications similarly functionality

Apple finally brought the official application of the Apple Watch notes with the Watchos 26 update.

This Sherlocks update several applications that facilitate user notes on Apple Watch.

Calls

Sherlocked applications:: Robokiller,, Smaller

Apple says that the new iOS 26 call assistance function can take calls from unknown numbers in silence, note the name and reason for the appellant, and show you these details, allowing you to choose to accept or reject the call. You can also enter an answer to ask more questions to the caller.

Robokiller and Truecaller both offer this feature, in addition to other features such as SMS SPAM Protection.

Package monitoring

Sherlocked applications:: Package monitoring applications

The portfolio can now follow orders, using Apple Intelligence to monitor and summarize the orders by studying emails sent by merchants or delivery services. This Sherlocks feature several applications on the market that allow you to follow orders using tracking numbers.

/ /

What awaits us

Given the history of Apple of construction in the functionalities rendered popular by third -party applications, those which offer a narrow range of functionalities may not last long. However, the developers have found that Apple’s implementation of certain features often means that users become aware of these capacities, and many prefer to use third -party applications for a more personalized experience. For example, previously sherlocked applications, Lawn for the iPhone mirror, and Unite For web applications on Mac, have published new versions with more features for specialized use cases.