Apple quietly updated iPhones with best feature they've 'ever done' for group chats and event planning

Apple quietly added a game-changing update for group planners.

If you’re the one always coordinating events, meetups or weekend trips, Apple may have just made your life easier.

When the tech giant rolled out iOS 18.5 earlier this month, users were treated with underrated time-saving features, a redesigned Photos and Mail app, remote phone access, and additional iMessage customisation.

But, funnily enough, when iOS 18.4 launched, Apple released the first update for one of its apps since its initial release. And not many users took notice of it.

Apple Invites is a social and flexible way to manage group events. (Tim Robberts/Getty)

No, I'm not talking about Calendar or Reminders. I'm talking about Apple Invites.

If you haven't used it before, it's a planning tool that originally launched back in February but stayed relatively under the radar. Unlike Calendar or Reminders, Apple Invites is a more social, flexible way to manage events.

But, up until now, it has been missing one very convenient feature that allows users to include external links.

The latest version 1.2 introduces a new Link tile which allows hosts to share URLs with event guests directly within the invitation.

Whether it’s a hotel reservation page, a Google Sheet for RSVP list, or an itinerary, guests can now access everything from one central place without digging through separate messages or emails.

Organisers can add a short title and description to each link so each tile feels more like a dashboard than a block of text.

The small but handy upgrade joins existing features like a Shared Album and a collaborative Apple Music playlist, both of which let attendees contribute content tied to the event.

It's worth noting that while Apple Invites is free to download, it requires the event organiser to have an iCloud+ subscription.

Over on Reddit, iPhone users have been praising the updated app for its 'nice design' and simple practicality.

"This felt like a no brainer of an app, and very well executed. If it’s compatible across all devices (Android, Windows, etc) I will happily use this moving forward," one user commented.

"I just tested this out. Really easy to set up and you can easily see when someone rsvps. You can even use image playground with an iPhone 15 pro or newer," another Reddit user added.

"This is literally so cool. And this could be expanded so much," another impressed iPhone user wrote.

Meanwhile, one helpful user pointed out that the app is also compatible with Android devices. Users can simply send an invite message to non-Apple devices so they can join in on the planning.