Apple launches app for events and invitations – another developer claims plagiarism

Apple has announced Apple Invites, a mobile application designed for event planning. It will allow iCloud subscribers to create and send invitations to parties and other events. While the app itself is geared towards iPhone owners, recipients can RSVP regardless of whether they have an iCloud subscription or an Apple device. It is also available on the web.

According to Apple, with Invites, organizers can «view and manage their events, share invitations via a link, view RSVPs, and select details they want to include in the preview» such as a home address or a specific background. Guests can use the app to populate a Shared Album with photos and videos from the event.

When creating invitations in Apple Invites, organizers can use photos from their library or choose from backgrounds available in the app. There’s also a built-in Image Playground option that allows organizers to create images using AI if they have a supported device, as well as integration with Maps and Weather, which offer forecast details and directions. Apple Music subscribers can also add a shared playlist that guests can view in Apple Invites.

Only users who subscribe to iCloud Plus (the cost starts at 99 cents per month) can create invitations in the app. Invites is available for iPhone users with iOS 18 and higher.

The new Apple Invites app seems very similar to Partiful, a popular event invitation service that was founded in 2020 and has become very popular over the past few years. Both services offer a simple, mobile-friendly interface for responding to invitations and getting event details. However, Partiful doesn’t charge a fee and is much more focused on Generation Z.

After the official announcement of Invites, Partiful’s developer suggested that Apple had violated its own App Store guidelines by releasing its new app. He shared a screenshot of rule 4.1, which deals with app imitators.

Source: The Verge