Hints of an ‘Apple Invites’ App Discovered in iOS 18.3
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Although the early betas of iOS 18.3 suggest it will be a rather pedestrian update compared to the previous two point releases, new code discovered inside the latest beta suggests Apple may have at least one surprise in store.
The code sleuths at 9to5Mac have found evidence of an unreleased first-party app called “Apple Invites” in the second iOS 18.3 beta that appears to be intended to help organize meetings and events in a more seamless way than sending out calendar invitations.
It’s not the first time some of these references have appeared. They were also discovered in one of the iOS 18.2 betas but removed by the time the final release came along in December.
Specifics on how the new app will work are vague right now, but it looks like Apple has been laying the groundwork for it since iOS 18.0:
Code suggests that the Invites app will integrate with iCloud and will even have a web version on iCloud.com. The new app also integrates with a new iOS 18 daemon called GroupKit, which manages database models for groups of people. This daemon has been present since the first release of iOS 18.0 and hasn’t been used by any Apple apps so far.
Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac
It’s difficult to say what Apple is up to here. No features like this were mentioned at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last June. Although some noteworthy Calendar changes in iOS 18 flew below the radar, such as Reminders integration and some new views, none were directly related to making appointments or sending invitations.
Scheduling meetings in the Calendar app still works as it always has, relying on the underlying calendar provider to do the heavy lifting. If you’re using iCloud Calendar, those invites will be sent out via iCloud, but it uses a standard calendaring protocol, so the same can be done just as easily with Microsoft Exchange, Google Calendar, or a CalDAV provider such as Fastmail.
By comparison, it sounds like this new “Apple Invites” framework will focus on setting up online or in-person events through a dedicated iCloud-based site, perhaps similar to an integrated version of Evite or Mixily.
It’s not even clear if this will turn out to be a standalone app. As Filipe Espósito points out at 9to5Mac, it could take the form of an iMessage mini-app or even be an expansion of the existing Calendar app, perhaps similar to Fantastical’s Schedule features that allow users to create RSVP links, publish openings in their calendar, and make proposals where invitees can vote on the best time for a meeting or other event.
Fantastical’s implementation of those features works well, even integrating with Messages so you can share openings and arrange meetings in an iMessage conversation. The catch is that this doesn’t come cheap; Fantastical operates on a subscription model years ago that requires a recurrent payment of $7 monthly or $57 per year just to use the app.
That price tag is justifiable for professionals (or socialites) who schedule a lot of meetings. Still, it’s pretty steep for an average user who just wants to arrange gatherings among family and friends. Whatever Apple is doing here is almost certain to be free. Combined with the fact that it would come standard on every iPhone (and likely iPads and Macs), the result would be a seamless experience available to a much wider audience.
Still, it’s important to keep in mind that much of this is hypothetical and should be taken with a grain of salt. Since Apple hasn’t said anything about this new feature, there’s no guarantee that it will release “Apple Invites” at all, much less that it’s coming in iOS 18.3.
