Apple has launched Apple Invites, a new iPhone app for creating and managing event invitations. The app makes it easy to organize gatherings, track RSVPs, and share photo albums and music with guests. Apple Invites is the newest addition to Apple’s subscription lineup, reinforcing the company’s focus on recurring revenue.
In an announcement on Tuesday, Apple said that users can create invites for birthdays, graduations, housewarming parties, and more—all while tracking RSVPs and guest lists through the app. The service is also available on the web, making it accessible beyond Apple devices. Anyone can RSVP to an event, but only those with a paid iCloud+ subscription can send invites.
Apple Invites
Internally referred to as Confetti, Apple Invites was initially expected to launch as an employee-only test. Instead, Apple has opted for a public release, with the app now rolling out to all users.
“With Apple Invites, an event comes to life from the moment the invitation is created, and users can share lasting memories even after they get together,” said Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple’s senior director of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apps and iCloud. “Apple Invites brings together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events.”
Invitations That Bring People Together
Apple Invites makes it easy to create personalized invitations while keeping everyone connected before, during, and after an event. Users can start by selecting an image from their photo library or choosing from a collection of themed backgrounds available in the app.
Built-in Maps and Weather integrations provide guests with directions and a forecast for the event day, making planning smoother.
Guests can also contribute photos and videos to a Shared Album linked to the invite, creating a space to capture and revisit memories. For those using Apple Music, collaborative playlists let hosts and attendees put together an event soundtrack, all accessible through Apple Invites.
This move fits into Apple’s broader strategy of expanding its services business, which has become the company’s second-largest revenue stream behind the iPhone. The Services division, which includes everything from Apple Pay to device warranties, brought in $25 billion in revenue last quarter, with a 74% gross margin—a key factor in driving up Apple’s overall profitability.
Apple’s latest launch puts it in direct competition with Partiful, a startup that gained traction as a go-to platform for digital invitations. Partiful took to social media to poke fun at Apple, suggesting that the tech giant had borrowed its idea.
In a statement, Partiful highlighted its cross-platform approach, emphasizing that its service works on any device. “With a Shared Photo Album, an interactive comment wall, and ways for guests to connect before, during, and after the event, Partiful has built the most social way to make social plans,” the company said.
Apple Invites is bundled into iCloud+ subscriptions, which start at $1 per month for 50GB of storage. Higher-tier plans, going up to $38 per month, include services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, fitness classes, and news.
The new app also integrates Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI-powered software suite. It can help users draft invitations, generate images, and even create a shared photo album or playlist for event guests.
Simple Ways to Manage and Join Events
Apple Invites makes it easy to create personalized invitations while keeping everyone connected before, during, and after an event. Users can start by selecting an image from their photo library or choosing from a collection of themed backgrounds available in the app.
Built-in Maps and Weather integrations provide guests with directions and a forecast for the event day, making planning smoother.
Guests can also contribute photos and videos to a Shared Album linked to the invite, creating a space to capture and revisit memories. For those using Apple Music, collaborative playlists let hosts and attendees put together an event soundtrack, all accessible through Apple Invites.
Meanwhile, Apple has been stacking iCloud+ with additional perks to push more users toward paid plans. Subscribers also get access to a VPN-style relay for private browsing, custom email domains, local security camera storage, and disposable email generation.
Apple hasn’t disclosed how many people are subscribed to iCloud+, but last week it revealed that it has one billion paid subscribers across all its services, a number that also includes App Store subscriptions.
