Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together
64 comments
·February 4, 2025jbentley1
kingnothing
> anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device.
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kube-system
From the third sentence of TFA:
> anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device.
probably_wrong
The article also says "collaborative playlists allow Apple Music subscribers to create a curated event soundtrack" so there's clearly a subset of functionality that's only available for certain users. There's "integration with Maps and Weather", but how does that look like in Android? Can I still "contribute to Shared Albums"?
lynndotpy
They also seem to have a web-only version too, but it requires an Apple account. Refreshing coming from Apple.
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ahmeneeroe-v2
The EU needs to regulate this
duxup
They don't need to because you can RSVP from an Android device.
morsecodist
Unfortunately, I have to hope this doesn't see widespread adoption. If this becomes the standard it will just add to already existing social pressure to get an iPhone in the US.
pulisse
> anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device.
morsecodist
I think that's preferable to them being totally unable to RSVP but you're still going to be the friend that can't make the invite. It's comparable to iMessage. You can still talk to Android users but it's a notably worse experience.
frereubu
But no-one without an Apple Account can create them - you can only respond to Apple-having friends. There is social pressure in that too.
duxup
If I'm inviting someone and they RSVP, that transaction is successful and done to me.
If they use some other system (and people do) I'll respond via that system.
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EA-3167
A company creating a useful tool that encourages people to buy their product is incredibly boring, typical, and not at all controversial until it's Apple doing it.
frizlab
And everything using google needs a google account. What’s your point?
cosmotic
Non-Apple users cant contribute to the playlist. No mention on the impact to the shared photo album. If its just a normal shared Photos.app album, non-apple users are locked out there, too.
ahmeneeroe-v2
Im literally sick over the thought of the increased social pressure
xattt
That’s the point: get an iPhone or be left out. But don’t worry, there will be a web version…
ilrwbwrkhv
Social pressures aren't real. I have never ever had a facebook account, instagram account, a linkedin account, an iphone or any other things people fall for.
kingnothing
> anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device.
roddylindsay
Brilliant move.
The transition of the major social networks over the last 10-15 years -- from being a space for friends to interact to being a space to consume content produced by "unconnected" entities like influencers -- has created a huge opening for someone to claim the friends and family network. There is no one better positioned (at least in the U.S. where iPhones are the majority handset) than Apple.
anotherhue
> Creation of invitations requires an iCloud+ subscription.
ZeroCool2u
Maybe it's just me, but seems a bit extreme for what amounts to a fancy calendar invite.
turnsout
What's really extreme is that you need an iCloud+ subscription if you want more than 5GB of iCloud storage… so requiring the subscription for this app is not much of a hurdle
cptcobalt
This era of new experimental apps from Apple (Invites, Journal, Sports) has me excited about the future of app design. Vibrant colors, bold personality-driven typography, etc. The SwiftUI style onboarding screen that features the carousel is really fun. This approach feels very Apple'y, but gives me more freedom to explore designs for my own app to have its own unique voice on iOS, while still feeling in-family with Apple's other more experimental UI.
There are a few misses.
- I already declined a friend's invite, but that doesn't get auto filtered away, so my "decline" is still the primary thing the app has to show me. It's still my only invite, so maybe it gets filtered to the back of the card stack if there are multiple?
- I also don't seem to be able to see friends I know who were invited to the party (but have not yet responded). Perhaps it was because it was shared as an invite URL in a group chat rather than manually inviting everyone?
duxup
It might be thought of as a bug but I love that the Apple Sports app announces scores for a live game before it hits TV.
In this day and age of everyone multitasking ... that's a hell of a great feature to be able to say "guys look!".
For a while I was amazing my kids predicting touchdowns, but they caught on ;)
cptcobalt
Less latency is a feature, not a bug. We've just grown too used to latency in everything we use.
dylan604
The lag between OTA broadcast an cable/streaming is insanely bad. We had several screens tuned in to World Cup, and the group watching the OTA broadcast would cheer 15-20 seconds before the cable/streaming screens would. Knowing it exists is one thing, but seeing it in that manner puts it on a whole other level
DRAGONERO
“Additionally, participants can easily contribute photos and videos to a dedicated Shared Album within each invite to help preserve memories and relive the event.”
This sounds like a great feature. Post event photo sharing is always a bit of a mess.
duxup
Yes, I've had tons of invites to share on google photos and it has always been a cluster in some way.
sebmellen
After spending $49 on a crappy baby shower invite sending tool I’m glad to hear this. Could save a lot of people a lot of money! Hopefully it works for non Apple users too.
KolmogorovComp
What’s missing when sending invites via mail, or a message on a social media they’re in?
duxup
The organizing people ecosystem is a mess. It's nice to see something new.
system7rocks
This is small but a cool way to integrate those various features across different apps and services. Like adding the Music playlist is not something I would ever use by my daughter, a teenager, probably would. Cute.
sjacob
Looks like an Apple version of Partiful?
I_
Was about to say this. Though less useful, because Partiful doesn't require an app so can be used by anyone.
I wonder how much the network effect may be leveraged for apps like these, to the benefit or detriment of apps like Partiful in comparison with Invites.
I know Facebook's last useful feature appears to be events in many circles.
yread
WTF is this? How do they make money? They have picture of 10+ people as a "team", on their help page
https://help.partiful.com/hc/en-us/articles/26526557943067-H...
it just says "We offer party add-ons and merch on our online store!"
Their online store has like 2 tshirts, stickers, sun glasses and a bag?!
sergiomattei
Exactly what it is.
kimi
What's wrong with "create a Whatsapp group and invite all your friends there, and if they don't care they just mute/leave"?
tssva
In the US WhatsApp is not widely used. I technically have an account but never installed the app when I moved to my iPhone. I had it installed for years but never used it on my prior Android phones.
ahmeneeroe-v2
Americans don't really do whatsapp
parl_match
I don't have Whatsapp, but I do have an iPhone.
ggregoire
they don't use Whatsapp in the US
duxup
For me it would be ... I don't use Whatsapp and I don't know many who do.
Can I send invites from Whatsapp and get responses from people who don't use it?
Honestly I've never received one.
frizlab
I’m in the EU, don’t use whatsapp but know a sh*tton of people around me do. It annoys me greatly and I truly hope I’ll be able to move them away little by little now that RCS is here.
xattt
I am curious about the potential of this app for community organizing, or if any neutering has taken place in the same way AirDrop was limited during Hong Kong protests in 2020.
duxup
There's little to no magic as far as "this app can't be censored by the local government" goes if we're talking about something offered from a private company.
p410n3
So since RCS is now here, Apple needed a new way to force people into buying iPhones by direct social pressure from peers.
(In the US)
Unless they add some basic functionality to include Android users, this is the evilest use of their walled garden yet.