Sherlocking
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
Sherlocking is the act of a platform provider adopting the functionality of a third-party application into its own platform, often after the third-party app has gained popularity. This practice can effectively eliminate the market for the third-party developer's product. The term was coined after Apple's Sherlock 3, released in 2002, which included features that closely resembled those of the popular third-party search tool Watson, causing Watson's developer to lose significant business.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Sherlocking is used as a cautionary tale in product management and software development, highlighting the risks that third-party developers face when building on a platform. It underscores the importance of understanding the platform owner's roadmap and potential for feature adoption, and it informs strategic decisions about whether to invest in platform-specific development or to diversify across platforms.
Anchor fast decisions
The mechanism of Sherlocking involves a platform owner observing the success and popularity of a third-party application, then deciding to incorporate similar features directly into the platform. This is often done to enhance the platform's value proposition, retain users, or increase control. The third-party developer may lose users and revenue as a result, as users no longer need to purchase or use the separate application.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more
Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_%28software%29verified
PRIVATE NOTES · Only visible to you
SAVED Q&A
ENTRY Q&A · Private saving available
Ask with a clear boundary
thinkingmodels answers from published entry context only.
Your question is sent to thinkingmodels. The answer uses public entry context only.
RELATED MODELS