New Delhi: Arc Search, a mobile web browser by The Browser Company, stands out for its innovative AI features like “Browse for me,” which searches the web and returns a summary rather than traditional search results. However, these unique functionalities might soon be targets of Apple’s latest “sherlocking” effort, a term that describes Apple’s practice of incorporating ideas from third-party developers into its own apps and operating systems. The term originated when Apple released the Sherlock app in the late 1990s, which had similar features to a third-party app named Watson.
Over the years, Apple has been accused of sherlocking several products, such as Camo, which allowed iPhones to be used as webcams, a feature later integrated as Continuity Camera. Other examples include Sidecar, which turned the iPad into a second screen, and Apple Pay Later, which mirrored existing BNPL services like Klarna. Features for tracking medication, periods, mood, journaling, and sleep were also first popularized by third-party developers.
With iOS 18 expected later this year, Apple might again draw inspiration from the developer community, potentially affecting Arc. A Bloomberg report indicates Apple is planning to introduce “smart recaps” among other AI-powered enhancements to apps like Photos, Notes, and Safari. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, smart recaps will provide summaries of notifications, text messages, web pages, news articles, documents, notes, and other media.
Arc is recognized for its AI-driven web summaries, continually innovating in this space. Recently, it introduced “Call Arc,” allowing users to ask questions by raising their phone to their ear, complementing its “browse for me” and “pinch to summarize” tools. Other startups, like Particle, Bulletin, Break the Web, and various iOS apps, also focus on AI-powered news summarization.
If Apple integrates AI-powered recaps into Safari, it could reduce the demand for alternative browsers or apps with similar AI capabilities. However, this might not hinder Arc’s growth significantly. The Browser Company remains committed to exploring other innovations beyond AI summaries, such as minimizing distractions, organizing tabs, blocking ads, and developing their AI assistant, Max.
Josh Miller, co-founder and CEO of The Browser Company, is optimistic, stating, “This is what makes our job so fun. It pushes us to be even more imaginative and courageous.”
