It wouldn’t be WWDC if Apple didn’t do some stealing. Apple has such a long-standing behavior of introducing new software program options that overlap and finally overtake third-party apps, there’s even a time period for it. Sherlocking comes from Apple’s Sherlock app, one of many first to usurp a preferred third-party different known as Watson again within the Nineties.
This follow was on show once more at WWDC 2025, the place Apple launched a number of new options in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe that seemed awfully just like these provided by impartial apps and builders. After all, we’re not going to complain about new capabilities in macOS, and Apple is way from the one firm so as to add options which were accomplished elsewhere earlier than. However in the event you’re a fan of certainly one of these apps, they won’t be round for for much longer.
Alfred
Alfred is a well-liked productiveness app that provides a collection of controls that stage up your Mac. That features an app and file launcher that’s accessed by a floating text-entry bar, in-app controls that may be activated utilizing your keyboard, intensive clipboard historical past, and textual content snippets that act as shortcuts for varied duties. Beginning to sound acquainted?
It ought to, as a result of this intently mirrors the novel overhaul that Apple dropped at Highlight in macOS Tahoe. As a substitute of a easy search field, Highlight has now been empowered with a variety of latest talents. It will probably work inside apps to launch menu bar controls, comes with parameters for filling out emails and textual content messages, has deep integration with Shortcuts, and even makes use of textual content snippets to kickstart actions with just some faucets.
Apple previewed a way more highly effective Highlight search at WWDC.
Apple
Alfred nonetheless has a couple of tips up its sleeve that haven’t but made it into Highlight, equivalent to 1Password integration and visible theming, however the gulf between it and Highlight has been closed considerably. And Apple is probably going solely simply getting began.
Route
In the event you’re somebody who often has parcels delivered to your door, you understand how essential it’s to maintain observe of all the things that’s on the way in which. Most package deal junkies doubtless already use the feature-rich third-party app Route to remain on prime of their packages, however with iOS 26, that may be accomplished natively in your iPhone.
It’s achieved through the use of Apple Intelligence to scan your emails and messages and pull out related supply info, equivalent to monitoring numbers and service firms. That is then collated within the Pockets app, supplying you with a centralized place to control your parcels without having to obtain every other apps. Better of all, it’s all accomplished routinely, so all you want to do is purchase one thing.
Flighty
The iOS 26 replace has seen a serious improve for digital boarding passes saved within the Pockets app, with instructions to your terminal gate and assist discovering misplaced baggage outfitted with an AirTag or different FindMy tracker. Up to now, no Sherlocking there.
However that every one modifications when you think about the Dwell Actions performance that has been added to boarding passes. There’ll now be a widget that reveals present flight standing (equivalent to how lengthy till it’s attributable to land), the airplane’s arrival terminal and baggage declare desk quantity, airline data, and flight quantity, and extra. That intently matches the Dwell Actions provided by the favored flight-tracking app Flighty.
Flighty nonetheless has the sting in some methods, equivalent to its fast delay alerts that may attain you earlier than even the airline’s personal notifications. However there’s little doubt that Apple has swooped in and launched its personal answer that covers a variety of the identical floor as Flighty.
The flight monitoring reside exercise constructed into iOS 26 is extraordinarily just like Flighty.
Apple
Bartender
At WWDC, Apple lifted the lid on its Liquid Glass visible redesign. Impressed by visionOS, this brings transparency and glass-like results to nearly each Apple machine and working system. One side of that in macOS is that the menu bar can now be completely clear. However there’s one other menu bar tweak which may not have happy the builders of the favored Bartender app.
That’s as a result of in macOS Tahoe, you possibly can rapidly and simply conceal third-party icons out of your menu bar. It is a characteristic that you just’ll additionally discover in Bartender, and simply one of many most important the reason why individuals love the longtime utility. There’s no telling how a lot time Bartender has saved customers by eliminating the necessity to bounce between app settings.
For energy customers, Bartender most likely isn’t underneath existential risk from Apple simply but, because it provides much more performance that isn’t natively matched by macOS, with way more customization choices and a helpful instrument palette that pops out under your menu bar. However for informal customers, Bartender simply obtained Sherlocked.
Bartender nonetheless has some close to tips, however Apple has made certainly one of its finest options irrelevant in macOS 26.
bartender
Truecaller
We’ve all been confronted with undesirable spam calls that interrupt our day, starting from the mildly annoying to the downright malicious. For years, the Truecaller app has helped iPhone customers keep away from scammers and telemarketers by figuring out unknown callers, blocking spammers, rooting out fraudulent textual content messages, and requiring callers to determine themselves earlier than they’re let by. It obtained even higher in iOS 18.2 when Apple added a Dwell Caller ID Lookup API with real-time spam blocking.
Sadly for Truecaller, iOS 26 can now do a few of these issues by itself. The Name Screening characteristic, for example, asks callers to elucidate why they’re contacting you, then reveals the leads to textual content in your display screen, letting you ignore the decision or decide it up once you’re prepared. For most individuals, that may be higher than figuring out spammers.
