Apple Invites released Tuesday and offers features that might interest meeting planners in search of simple solutions for smaller company events and team gatherings.
Free apps that require an iCloud+ subscription to create events combine invitation creation with practical event management tools. It integrates with Apple Maps to get predicted directions and weather, while providing collaboration features like shared albums and Apple Music Playlists.
The platform allows hosts to manage RSVP, control event visibility and share invitations through web links. It is worth noting that guests can view and respond to invitations without an Apple account or device, meaning Android users are not forgotten.
The app includes Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI system, which helps users create custom activity materials. Users can generate original images based on event themes, or merge people from their photo gallery through the Image Playground feature. The system also includes writing help to help make invitation text. However, these AI features are limited to new iPhone models running iOS 18.2 or later (iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 series).
This video for Macrumors, a website dedicated to Apple products, covers details.
Industry perspective
In a LinkedIn post, Colja Dams, CEO of global event company VOK DAMS, shared his early experience with the app. “I tested this with a fictional corporate meeting, which was handy: guest lists, event details, weather forecasts – all in one place. The shared album and playlist features are particularly fun and practical.”
Adam Parry, co-founder of Event Tech Live, praised the app’s accessibility, calling it “game-changing meetings and events.” He highlights its cross-device compatibility and fast invitation process as key advantages, as well as real-time features such as real-time weather updates and shared albums.
Innevent CEO Pedro Góes believes that the impact on the event technology industry is greater. “This is the first major event app released by one of the 4 largest tech companies focusing only on the event,” he noted. Goss pointed to Apple’s industry disruption history in acknowledging the current limitations: “If Apple is in its products Add payment integrations to the level, then well-known companies may have trouble. “However, he suggests that mature event tech companies focusing on advanced registration systems and access controls may not be vulnerable to interference.
Business applications and restrictions
The app is primarily designed for consumer use, but can offer small-scale corporate functions, team celebrations and informal business gatherings. However, it lacks the capabilities that senior professional planners need to conduct large-scale activities, such as:
- Registration fee processing
- Custom form maker
- Participant tracking
- Integrate with professional event management software
- Multi-event Portfolio Management
- Complex ticketing options
- Compliance and security features
Compared to existing event platforms, Apple Invings provides a clean, intuitive interface with breathing of fresh air, often giving features priority over usability. Beautiful design and direct user experience show that event technology can be powerful and easy to use.
While unlikely to infringe on the incident technology platform space, its simplified interface and integration – the preferred approach can reshape how customers evaluate incident technology platforms, thereby increasing expectations for intuitive design in professional tools.
The app is available via iOS 18 on the App Store and iCloud.com/invites or later.
