Apple launches ‘Invites’ app to compete with popular event planning services

Apple has introduced a new app called “Invites,” designed to help users create and manage custom invitations for any occasion, adding another tool to its suite of iPhone services. The app, available for free on the App Store, allows users to craft personalized invitations, manage RSVPs, contribute to Shared Albums, and curate event soundtracks directly from their devices.

To create an invitation using Invites, users will need an iCloud+ subscription, although anyone can RSVP to an event, regardless of whether they have an Apple account or device. This means that even non-Apple users can join in on events hosted through the app.

Invites marks Apple’s latest attempt to take on third-party applications, a practice often referred to as “Sherlocking” within the tech community. The term is used when Apple introduces a feature that mirrors an existing popular third-party service. In this case, Invites is similar to Partiful, a popular event planning app that was named Google Play’s Best App of 2024. Partiful wasted no time responding to the launch, implying that Invites is a direct copy of their app. Invites will also compete with other well-established services such as evite, Paperless Post, Posh, and Sendo Invitations.

The new app offers a range of features aimed at enhancing the event planning experience. When creating an invitation, users can select a photo from their library or pick an image from the app’s built-in gallery. Invites integrates with Apple Maps and Weather to provide event directions and real-time weather updates for the event day.

A standout feature is the Shared Album, where guests can upload photos and videos from the event, preserving memories for later. Apple Music subscribers can also create collaborative playlists for their events, which guests can access directly from the invitation. Furthermore, users can make custom images for their invites through Apple’s Image Playground and use Apple’s Writing Tools for polished invitation text.

Hosts can manage their events through the app, share invitations via a link, and track RSVPs. They can also customize what information is visible to guests, such as event details or location. For guests, the app allows them to view and respond to invites through the app or the web at icloud.com/invites.

Apple’s senior director of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apps and iCloud, Brent Chiu-Watson, emphasized the app’s ability to integrate with other Apple services: “Apple Invites brings together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events.”

Apple Invites is available to all iPhone users running iOS 18 or later, and it can also be accessed on the web via iCloud at icloud.com/invites.