Apple Invites lets you invite everyone to your parties (even if they're on Android)
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 — 'Oh, another app. Not a product.'
It's amazing how disdain can transmit over chat but that was a colleague's reaction to Apple's new Invites app.
Which left me with the task of actually trying the app because, as Malaysians say, bagi chance-lah (give it a chance).
The thing about Apple is that it makes some pretty good, free, useful apps such as Clips (for simple social media videos), Freeform (an easy to use digital whiteboard), Journal (a digital journal) but like Apple TV+ you just don't hear about how good they are because people are more excited about products.
Now everyone can RSVP
First thing first: why do we need an Invites app?
Meta's Facebook has Events and auto-RSVP requests.
There's also Google Forms and just sending people a WhatsApp.
To see what Invites had to bring to the table, I decided to create an invite to an event I hope happens at the end of my nearly two-year cancer treatment plan.
I hope to have my oncologist be able to tell me that I have achieved NED — No Evidence of Disease and that would definitely be a great excuse for a party.
With Invites, it's a fairly simple process.
You download the app and click a button to create an Event.
Select a Background from either a template or your own Camera or Photos.
Fill in salient details such as date, time, location and description.
Optionally you can create a photo album and Apple Music playlist you can share with guests.
To RSVP, guests may do it from the app or from the Web if on Android.
It's slightly more fiddly on the Web as apparently Android users will need a free iCloud.com account to view photos for instance.
Note: The Invites app on iOS is only available to users with a paid iCloud.com plan and there is no Android version, though Android users will still be able to RSVP to Invites invitations.
If for any reason you would rather not invite people via Facebook, Google or WhatsApp and have an iPhone, Invites is convenient and simple to use and best of all, no one gets left off the guestlist whatever phone they use.
Now there's no excuse to bo jio (not invite) your friends when you're having an impromptu gathering at the mamak for supper — use Invites to send out a quick request to meet up at your favourite Indomie place and you're gold.
Invites is already available for download for phones running iOS 18 or later.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Android Authority
44 minutes ago
- Android Authority
You're not alone: This email from Google's Gemini team is concerning
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Google is notifying users that, starting July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to assist with apps like Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp, regardless of whether Gemini Apps Activity is turned on or off. The vague wording in the email has raised privacy concerns, with users unclear if Gemini will still access these apps even after opting out. While the email says users can disable these features in the 'App settings,' it offers no specific steps to do so. Google's Gemini team is apparently sending out emails about an upcoming change to how Gemini interacts with apps on Android devices. The email informs users that, come July 7, 2025, Gemini will be able to 'help you use Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities on your phone, whether your Gemini Apps Activity is on or off.' Naturally, this has raised some privacy concerns among those who've received the email and those using the AI assistant on their Android devices. Not only has the ambiguity in the statement sparked confusion over whether Gemini will have access to said apps and services even if users have opted out of Gemini Apps Activity, but the email further notes that those who don't want these features can disable them, with no clarity on how to do so. aggiesal Google's vague guidance for opting out of this change reads, 'If you don't want to use these features, you can turn them off in Apps settings page.' There are no details on where to find the option or what exactly is being disabled, especially since the email states these changes will apply whether Gemini Apps Activity is on or off. The link in the email reportedly redirects users to the Gemini Apps Privacy Hub, which, unfortunately, doesn't offer much clarity on what's changing. What does 'help you use' mean in practice? Will Gemini be able to read or send messages, access call logs, or interact with third-party apps like WhatsApp by default, even when users have opted out of these integrations? CID/X With the rollout less than two weeks away, we've reached out to Google for answers. The email was highlighted by tipster CID on X, as well as by other users. I use Gemini on my Android devices, but I haven't received the email. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Apple stock has severely lagged the rest of the Mag 7. BofA says a rumored AI deal could turn it around.
Apple is rumored to be conducting internal talks about acquiring AI startup Perplexity. Thus far, Wall Street has been unimpressed by Apple's AI strategy. An AI acquisition could be a lifeline for Apple's stock, which has tumbled this year, says BofA. It's been a rough year for Apple stock, but there might be hope for a rebound with a rumored AI acquisition. Apple has been the worst-performing Magnificent Seven stock in 2025, with shares down 20% year-to-date. On top of weak iPhone sales and tariff concerns, the company has lagged in the AI race among its mega-cap tech peers. At Apple's WWDC earlier this month, the company failed to ease Wall Street's concerns about its Apple Intelligence product, with investors bemoaning the company's lack of a new killer app. However, Apple executives could be eyeing a purchase of AI startup Perplexity, Bloomberg reported last week. While Perplexity has denied any M&A discussions and Apple has declined to comment, Wall Street didn't ignore the buzz. Bank of America believes a deal could throw a lifeline to Apple's thus-lacking AI strategy and turn the stock around. If you can't make your own special AI sauce, buying it might be the next best option, according to BofA. The bank said that, in the near-term, "we think any positive developments around AI initiatives would be positive for the stock that has largely been seen as an AI laggard." Perplexity is an AI-powered search engine that responds to queries with cited responses, as opposed to a Google search that returns links. If completed, the acquisition would provide Apple with a more comprehensive AI offering instead of building one out in-house over years. A strategic partnership, as opposed to an outright acquisition, could also help Apple to a lesser degree. "Any such deal (we do not have any direct knowledge of the probability of such a deal) would likely be positive for shares that are currently in the penalty box given Apple is largely viewed as an AI laggard (deep Siri integration delayed and no cutting edge models)," Wamsi Mohan, technology research analyst at Bank of America, wrote. An acquisition would give Apple access to Perplexity's search and answering capabilities, fresh AI talent, product synergies with Siri and other Apple offering, and exposure to non-Google search, Mohan highlighted. Specifically, Perplexity could revitalize Siri's capabilities, which have struggled to keep up with developments in chatbots. Perplexity could also be integrated with not just Safari but also system-wide, helping Apple build AI into its services and hardware. All of these factors could fetch a higher valuation for Apple stock. Most importantly, an acquisition would provide Apple with a clear AI strategy and prevent Perplexity from being acquired by a competitor. Competition in the AI space is fierce, and Apple certainly isn't alone in pursuing a potential M&A or acquihire strategy. As Big Tech companies scramble to grab market share in the rapidly developing AI industry, growing through inorganic means is becoming more common. Before Meta invested $14.3 billion into data annotation startup Scale AI, it also tried to acquire Perplexity and another AI startup called Safe Superintelligence. But that's not to say that locking down a hot AI startup like Perplexity would solve all of Apple's problems. Integrating a young startup into a larger, more-established company comes with its fair share of organizational challenges, and Mohan pointed to some of Apple's previous M&A ventures, such as Siri or Laserlike, as examples of acquisitions that experienced delays or roadblocks. Apple will need to customize parts of Perplexity's platform to fit into its existing ecosystem and scale up to Apple's much larger user base. There are also legal risks: Perplexity is facing a copyright infringement case, which Apple would need to take on in the case of an acquisition. Buying Perplexity could also jeopardize Apple's existing partnership with Google, creating a potential headwind to earnings. Even with these concerns, Mohan is cautiously optimistic on the payoff of a potential acquisition: "From an investor's vantage point, a deal would offer a high-reward but high-risk proposition," he wrote. "However, execution, in our view, is paramount: Apple would need to break from some of its old habits (siloed development, extreme secrecy, slow rollout) to fully capitalize on Perplexity's fast-paced innovation," Mohan added. If completed, the acquisition would be Apple's biggest ever, as Perplexity is currently valued at $14 billion. It would also be a marked departure from the company's traditional free cash flow strategy of conducting stock buybacks and paying dividends. Bank of America believes Apple could certainly afford to shell out for a deal of this size, as the company posted profits of $24.8 billion in Q1 2025. A Perplexity deal would signal to investors that Apple is willing to shift its capital allocation strategy to compete in the AI race. "Given the transformative potential of AI, many analysts believe that not investing aggressively in AI is the bigger risk, even for a company as successful as Apple," Mohan wrote. Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Rapid Review Quiz: Wearable Health Tech
As wearable health technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, its impact on disease detection, chronic condition management, and preventive care is growing rapidly. From smartwatches that flag abnormal heart rhythms to headbands that analyze sleep stages and wristbands that monitor blood pressure around the clock, these devices are reshaping the landscape of modern healthcare. However, clinical accuracy can vary significantly across devices. How well do you understand the strengths and shortcomings of these wearable health devices? Check your knowledge with this quick quiz. The Apple Watch is US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for over-the-counter use as ECG software to help detect cardiac arrhythmias. In May 2024, the FDA qualified Apple's Atrial Fibrillation History Feature as a Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT). This makes it the first over-the-counter wearable tech accepted under the MDDT program for estimating AF burden in clinical research. The feature might serve as a biomarker to evaluate cardiac interventions, such as ablation therapies, during clinical trials. A new meta-analysis shows that the Apple Watch ECG has high sensitivity and specificity for AF detection compared to standard ECGs. However, expert guidelines and the study itself recommend that providers use the Apple Watch ECG as a screening tool, not for definitive diagnosis. Any positive or suspicious result should be confirmed with a standard 12-lead ECG, which remains the criterion standard for AF diagnosis and can detect other arrhythmias. Choosing to use the Apple Watch ECG as the sole diagnostic tool ignores its limitations and the need for comprehensive evaluation, potentially missing important cardiac conditions. Advising against all use of the device would overlook its value for early and convenient AF screening, especially in at-risk or hard-to-reach populations. Replacing standard ECGs entirely with the Apple Watch is not supported because the Apple Watch cannot provide the full range of diagnostic information. Learn more about AF. A clinical trial showed that after 3 months of using the Dexcom G6, participants had notable improvements in glycemic control. Usage remained high throughout the study, with 91% completing the full 90-day period and wearing the sensor 88% of the time. Compared to fingerstick monitoring, CGM users had lower average glucose levels (184.0-147.2 mg/dL), better time in range (58%-83%), and slight improvements in glucose variability. Additional health benefits included reductions in A1c, BMI, blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, and a lower estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk. Real-world data also confirmed that patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes using CGM for 12 months saw continued improvement in glycemic control, especially when using alert features. This was confirmed in a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, which concluded that feedback from CGM positively affects glycemic control in adults, regardless of diabetes status. In March 2024, the FDA approved Dexcom's Stelo Glucose Biosensor System, the first over-the-counter CGM, designed for adults with type 2 diabetes not using insulin and for the general public interested in tracking glucose patterns related to lifestyle factors. Learn more about CGM. The Dreem headband uses portable EEG and motion detection for home-based sleep tracking. A recent study comparing Dreem to polysomnography (PSG) (the criterion standard for detailed sleep analysis) found mixed accuracy across sleep metrics. Total sleep time and sleep efficiency aligned closely with PSG results due to the device's ability to detect sleep-wake transitions via movement. However, REM sleep was overestimated by about 25 minutes. Overestimating REM could delay detection of disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and depression (in which sleep disruptions are linked), making the Dreem less reliable for clinical diagnoses that require precise REM data. Although the device shows potential for general sleep monitoring at home, its limitations (especially in identifying REM) suggest that further validation and algorithm refinement are needed, particularly for use in older adults and people with neurodegenerative conditions. Learn more about sleep EEG. A new meta-analysis concluded that wearable activity tracker-based interventions significantly increased daily step counts in older adults compared to usual care (such as prescribed physical activity), highlighting their potential to boost physical activity in this population. Higher step counts are linked to lower cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality and reduced frailty risk. The interventions did not significantly improve BMI or functional mobility (Timed Up and Go test) or reduce sedentary time. These outcomes might require longer interventions or additional components such as dietary changes or targeted exercises. Learn more about risk factors for coronary artery disease. Hilo, formerly known as Aktiia (Neuchâtel, Switzerland) is a wearable device that measures BP continuously without a cuff, using optical sensors in a wrist-worn bracelet. It has received regulatory approval in the European Union and Canada. A new study found that Hilo (Aktiia) closely matched ABPM readings during daytime and across a full 24-hour cycle. However, it consistently recorded higher systolic BP at night, indicating reduced accuracy during sleep. It nonetheless captured overall nighttime dipping trends. No major discrepancies were found in daytime readings, and claims of inaccuracy during the day were unfounded. The device also did not show overestimation across all periods, only at night. Furthermore, it successfully tracked dipping patterns, supporting its use with some caution for nighttime data interpretation. Learn more about BP assessment.
