Highlighter is a Safari extension for iOS that allows users to annotate and save text excerpts from web pages.
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The tool serves students and researchers who need a persistent record of web-based study materials, but the current failure to save highlights across page refreshes prevents it from fulfilling this job.
For Students and researchers who need to annotate and save web content for study or reference.
What does it look like?
Key features
Enables text highlighting directly within the Safari browser via native extension architecture.
Memorizes and stores text excerpts across web pages for future access.
How much does it cost?
Single-purchase model at $0.99 provides lifetime access without recurring subscription overhead.
Velocity
Dormant developmentUX improvementsShow more...
Highlighter - Focus on detail has been inactive for 1751 days, placing it firmly in the zombie category. The development history consists of a single minor release from late 2021 that included a disable button and general bug fixes. There is no evidence of ongoing maintenance, feature development, or operational support for the application.
Who built it?
Mai Tuan Viet
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Super Editor - Edit text pagesUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
Review voice lately leans excited.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Web page refreshes cause all user-applied marks and highlights to disappear, resulting in lost work
1 of 1 recent reviews analyzed · limited sample
Read the full review analysisCompetition
Competitive landscape for Highlighter - Focus on detail
How's the Education market?
Highlighter maintains a 3.8-star rating across five total ratings in the Education category. The lack of updates since 2021 signals a dormant product lifecycle that limits competitive relevance.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
Unlock the deeper market read.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Highlighter - Focus on detail
Where is it heading?
The Education utility market is consolidating around browser-native features and actively maintained note-taking tools. Highlighter remains exposed due to its long-term development dormancy and unresolved data-persistence bugs, which will continue to drive churn until the product is either updated or abandoned.
- The four-year development gap confirms a maintenance-only state, which prevents the app from addressing critical data-loss bugs.
- Persistent data-loss complaints in the latest reviews indicate the core value proposition is broken for this app student audience.
The SWOT
- Safari extension architecture enables native text highlighting
- Single-purchase model at $0.99 removes subscription friction
- Local database integration would resolve data-loss complaints
Next best moves
Rebuild highlight persistence logic because user reports confirm data loss on page refresh → restore core utility
The counter-intuitive read
The $0.99 price point is a liability rather than a strength…
Read the full takeSince the last report: The product remains in a state of terminal dormancy, with no functional changes recorded since 2021. The primary shift is a more critical analytical assessment that now characterizes the tool as effectively sunset.
Bottom line
Highlighter currently fails its primary job of saving user annotations, and the four-year development gap suggests the product is effectively sunset. Addressing the persistence bug is the only path to restoring basic utility for the remaining user base.
Unlock 2 critical frictions, 1 market threat and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Highlighter still being updated?
Does Highlighter save my notes permanently?
What is the difference between Highlighter and free browser extensions?
Sources
- [1] App Store, source
Report last updated