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Apple has recently released some exciting new first-party apps that may have flown under your radar, as they are not automatically installed on new iPhones like most other Apple apps.
For instance, in February 2024, Apple unveiled Apple Sports, a free app designed for sports enthusiasts with a sleek and minimalist interface to keep track of their favorite teams and leagues. Some users have even complained that it provides results too quickly, with live play-by-play updates beating out the actual game being watched on TV or online streaming.
Following the success of Apple Sports, Apple introduced Apple Invites in February 2025. This app is geared towards helping users plan social events, featuring the same whimsical yet user-friendly design seen in Apple Sports.
Apple Invites is more than just an app — it serves as a gateway to an iCloud service that handles the heavy lifting of sending invitations and managing guest lists. This means you can invite non-Apple Invites users or even non-iPhone users, who can RSVP via a web page link on iCloud. The app is exclusively available on iPhones, but event management can also be done on Mac or iPad.
While Apple Invites is free to download and use for receiving invites and responding to events, creating new events and sending out invites requires an iCloud+ subscription. However, even the basic $0.99 per month 50 GB plan qualifies for this feature.
Apple has been proactive in updating Apple Invites to keep it fresh and engaging. Recent updates have included the ability to add external links to events, new season-themed backgrounds, and a widget for upcoming events.
The latest update, Apple Invites 1.4, introduces a new widget that displays the selected event’s image, name, and countdown to its start. The widget is customizable in three sizes and elegantly designed to match the event’s font style.
Although the widget does not automatically show the next event on your list by date, it allows you to choose which event to display, providing more control and the option to showcase multiple upcoming events with different widgets.
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