WhatsApp is rolling out an Events feature that lets hosts invite people who do not use the app. Guests can view details and RSVP without making an account.
WhatsApp is launching a new Events feature, and you can send invites to people who are not on WhatsApp at all. Those guests can see the details and RSVP without creating an account or installing anything. Engadget says the move looks aimed at Partiful, a popular app for party invites.
The new hub sits in the Events section of WhatsApp's settings menu. It lists your past and upcoming plans and lets you manage events and RSVPs. Hosts can add a header photo to an event and send custom reminders to guests. WhatsApp has had some event tools for a while, but this update opens them to friends outside the app.
A host's phone number will not be shown to guests they do not know. Guests without a WhatsApp account also cannot see the event address until they RSVP. That gives hosts some control over who learns where a gathering is.
WhatsApp says the feature will reach everyone "over the following weeks," so it may not appear on your phone right away. The material does not give an exact date or say whether there is any cost.
The change fits a pattern. Last month, WhatsApp let people without accounts join video calls. Earlier this year it added usernames, so people can use the service without sharing their phone numbers.
Watch for the Events section in WhatsApp settings over the coming weeks, then send one invite to everyone, even friends who do not use the app.
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