WhatsApp is introducing a feature that lets users invite people to in-app events even when those guests do not have the messaging app installed. The company said the update is rolling out to all users in the coming weeks. The change gives WhatsApp users a way to bring friends and family into event planning without requiring them to download the messenger first.
Under the new setup, a person who creates an event in WhatsApp can share a link with someone who does not use the app, and that invitee can still see the event's details. The company said invitees without WhatsApp will only see the event address after they RSVP. WhatsApp also said it will not display a user's phone number to guests the user does not know.
WhatsApp is pairing the sharing option with a new Events Home, a hub where users can create events, send invitations and manage RSVPs. From that hub, users can send custom reminders and turn on an option that lets guests add a plus-one. A full list of past and upcoming events is available by going to the Settings menu and selecting Events.
The feature puts WhatsApp in the same territory as established event-planning services. Facebook offers event planning, while Partiful and Apple Invites can send invitations to anyone. Not every event organizer owns an iPhone or wants to install another app, which is the gap WhatsApp appears to be targeting with its link-based invitations. WhatsApp's reach as a messaging service could make it a practical alternative to those platforms for users who already organize gatherings through chats.
The company did not say which markets will receive the feature first or whether the rollout will differ by region. For US users, the update stands to make WhatsApp more useful for hosting gatherings that include people outside the app, such as relatives or coworkers who rely on other messaging services. WhatsApp said the features are coming to all users in the coming weeks.
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