Does the iPhone support or read iCalendar / Outlook Meeting Invitations / .ics files?

Does the iPhone support or read iCalendar / Outlook Meeting Invitations / .ics files?

UPDATE: Apple will include .ics support in iOS 4.2. Release date is November 2010.

We get a lot of emails asking something along the lines of "why does my iPhone not read/recognize .ics files?" The question itself is the answer.

Despite the fact that the OS X Mail App handles ics files just fine (displaying the event/meeting details within the email window, and entering the meeting info into iCal when the attachment is clicked), the iPhone completely lacks this support.

Instead, the iPhone simply shows the .ics file as an attachment that it refuses to open or do anything with.

It was reported that iPhone OS 3.0 would contain support for .ics files, but that's no longer the case.

For now, you'll need to live with opening the .ics attachments on your PC/Mac and syncing the meeting/event details over to your iPhone.

Comments

There's an app for that for iPhone OS 3.2 and greater. Calendar View.
http://itunes.com/apps/calendarview

Note that it only allows you to view the ICS calendar invite in mail, it's not able to push the invitation into the Calendar app until we get to iPhone OS 4.0.

Not!

It is just a header problem.

How to import Outlook whol calendar export file (*.ics) into Iphone:

1.) save whole calendar in outlook as ics file (check the option for which events to export)
2.) open the ics file with wordpad
3.) replace everything from first line till END:VTIMEZONE tag wtih that header:
Mid Europe/German settings)
BEGIN:VCALENDAR
PRODID:-//Name for Calendar 70.9054//DE
VERSION:2.0
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/Berlin
X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/Berlin
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0200
TZNAME:CEST
DTSTART:19700329T020000

RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=-1SU
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0200
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:CET
DTSTART:19701025T030000
RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=10;BYDAY=-1SU
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE

4.) upload it to a internet server or local webserver

5.) add url into subscribed calendars in your Iphone. (just a one-time exercise :) )
Thats it.

OMG! Just purchased Calendar Happy though the app store and it works! You forward the invite with attachment to their email address (save it as a contact after purchase so you just have to start typing, "happy" It immediately forwards it back to you so that you can open it and add it to the calendar. WONDERFUL!!!

Didn't work at all on my iPhone. Never returned a forwarded e-mail so I'd wouldn't advise this app...

In most cases, you only have to slide the calendar to 'ON' in your exchange settings.
Settings > Email, contacts, > your account > switch Calendars to ON.

simple as that.