Apple just released Apple Invites, a new app for creating parties and events
Apple Sports, released in 2024, was such a personal disappointment that I quickly deleted it. But Apple’s newest new app, Apple Invites, appears to be something that is useful … and something that people actually like.
At least if you already pay for an iCloud+ subscription.
Apple Invites is a perfect potpourri app for Apple fans. It uses deep integrations with Apple’s apps for photos, emojis, calendaring, maps, music and weather to create party and event invitations. You can create them in about 3 minutes and they look great, and you can either send invites directly to specific friends or acquaintances, or optionally create a public link that requests RSVPs that you can screen for unwanted guests.
Maps and Weather integrations ensure your guests know how to get there and come prepared for the conditions, and you can pre-share an Apple Music playlist so everyone knows what tunes you’ll be rocking. There’s also an option to share a photo album in Photos, so people can share their photos of the event all together during and after the event.
Apple just released Apple Invites, a new app for creating parties and events
All good, all easy, and all clean and deeply integrated into Apple’s ecosystem.
Apparently, people are into Apple Invites.
It quickly became the top app in the U.S. app store, according to Appfigures, and is currently tops in the Canadian app store, where I downloaded it. It was downloaded 1.3 million times in its first five days, and 3.2 million times since it was first launched just over a week ago, according to Apptopia. That easily passes competitor Partiful, which Appfigures says has been downloaded by only 1.5 million people since its launch in the summer of 2023.
People seem to mostly like it so far. I’m seeing ratings at 4.1 stars out of 130 ratings to date.
“A great first version with potential,” says one review by Mucho Kitty. “Love that I don’t need to rely on Facebook Events to officially invite my millennial friends to stuff (who barely use Facebook to begin with.”
There is a catch, however: to fully use Apple Invites as the event owner, you need to be an iCloud+ subscriber. iCloud+ subscriptions start at $0.99/month, but people who don’t subscribe at any level are not impressed.
“Another great idea ruined by greed,” says one from T7pKeeper.
“Looks great but you can’t expect everyone having to pay to use a social app,” says another review by Wynn_7907.
One positive: attendees do not need the subscription, just even hosts. But clearly, Apple is not just looking to build apps and experiences that tie into as many of its ecosystem apps as possible. It’s also looking to tie Apple users into paid subscription levels.
