Apple’s upcoming operating system, iOS 18, has reignited debate over the tech giant’s “Sherlocking” practices — integrating similar features offered by popular third-party apps into its own ecosystem, often at no extra cost — making the copycat apps less appealing.
NPR Reports As anticipation grows for Apple’s iOS 18 release scheduled for this fall, the company has come under intense scrutiny for introducing features that closely resemble existing third-party apps. This common Apple tactic, nicknamed “Sherlock,” has been a source of controversy for years. Some app developers have accused Apple of unfairly using its market power to hurt their business. The term Sherlock dates back to the 1990s, when Apple created a search tool for the desktop called Sherlock. The tool was very similar to a popular program called Newton that was sold by a third party. Since then, every time Apple copies a third-party app to try to take their business, it’s seen as another case of Sherlock.
One notable example is TapeACall, a popular call recording app with millions of users paying a monthly fee. In iOS 18, Apple will offer its own recording and transcription service seamlessly integrated into iPhone calls, which could make TapeACall obsolete. Former Apple executive Philip Shoemaker, who once oversaw the company’s App Store, commented, “If I were TapeACall, I’d say game over.”
TapeACall is not alone in this challenge. Apple recently announced new services at its Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, including writing assistant app Grammarly, password manager app 1Password, speech-to-text app Otter, AI emoji app Newji, and map app Alltrails. Additionally, the new AI assistant capabilities perform functions comparable to AI hardware devices such as RabbitR1 and Humanity’s AI Pin.
While some app developers have expressed concern about the impact of Apple’s actions on their business, others have publicly welcomed the competition. “We welcome Apple’s entry into this exciting and vibrant space where we’ve operated for more than 15 years,” Grammarly spokesperson Yuki Klotz-Burrwell said, adding that the company often sees increased demand for its services due to the entry of new competitors.
But Rick Van Meter, executive director of the App Fairness Coalition, which represents more than 80 popular apps, argues that many developers are wary of speaking out against Apple for fear of retaliation. “Apple is not just a competitor, it also sets the rules of the market,” he explained.
Shoemaker, the former Apple executive, echoed that sentiment, saying app developers often pivot to other services or go out of business altogether rather than speak out against Apple and risk being “banned from the App Store.”
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Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering free speech and online censorship.
