YAHOO FINANCE – Nov 9 – eHarmony is hoping to launch a chatbot to stop people from ghosting, or cutting off communication with potential matches. The would-be feature, which eharmony has yet to start development on, would pop up in the user interface after an online conversation with another user drops off after several days or weeks. The dating bot feature could be introduced within the next 18 months.
Month: November 2018
Dating Apps Turn to AI to Help Users Find Love
AGENCE PRESSE-FRANCE – Nov 9 – The online dating sector is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to help arrange meetings in real life and act as a dating coach. These new uses for AI – the science of programming computers to reproduce human processes like thinking and decision making – by dating apps were highlighted at Web Summit in Lisbon. eHarmony is developing an AI-enabled feature which would nudge users to suggest meeting in person after they have been chatting in the app for a while. "There is a lot of activity on dating apps but by and large there is not a lot of dates," said eHarmony CEO Grant Langston. "Guys don't know how to ask. It's astounding really how many people need help and we think we can do that in an automated way." British dating app Loveflutter plans to use AI to analyse chats between its users to determine their compatibility and suggest when they should meet. "We will ping a message saying 'You are getting along really well, why don't you go on your first date'," said Loveflutter co-founder Daigo Smith. Tinder founder Sean Rad said AI would "create better user experiences" and predicted iPhone's Siri voice assistant would in the future act as a matchmaker. An entirely voice-operated dating app called AIMM which uses AI to mirror a human matchmaking service is already being tested in Denver where it has ~1K users. Badoo is now using AI and facial recognition technology to let users find a match that looks like anyone at all, including their ex or a celebrity crush.
See full article at The National
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The Inner Circle Is Raising Awareness for Movember
THE INNER CIRCLE – Nov 9 – Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young men. 1 in 20 men diagnosed with testicular cancer won't make it. 1 in 8 men have experienced a mental health problem. 75% of suicides are men. The Inner Circle users can donate to Movember, a multinational charity that aims to raise awareness of and money for men's health. The Inner Circle is giving all Movember campaigners a free full membership for the month.
by David Vermeulen
See full article at The Inner Circle
Michigan-startup Launches DateAha! – a Yelp-like Online Dating Extension
PeerStream Reports Q3 2018 Results
GLOBE NEWSWIRE – Nov 8 – Total revenue of $6.7M increased 12.8% YOY. Net loss was ~$570K, a $1.4M improvement YOY. Net loss was driven by a $576 thousand impairment loss on digital tokens received by the company in connection with the ProximaX technology services agreement. Judy Krandel, CFO, commented, "Subscription revenue from our video properties was stable YOY, offset by a decline in subscription revenue primarily from dating assets.
What’s Next? Augmented Reality Phone Dating
OPW – Nov 8 – Phones will go away when Augmented Reality display tech. gets rolled out. AR phone tech is almost here. AVEGANT shows off the tech at Web Summit. Start planning for AR dating!
Post by Mark Brooks, CEO IDEA
Sean Rad on Tinder Innovation, and Suing Match
OPW – Nov 8 – Sean Rad spoke at Web Summit yesterday. Here's the OPW.news 4 minute highlight video. Sean talks about:
- getting demoted
- Tinder innovation by cross-examination
- suing Match Group
Post by Mark Brooks, CEO IDEA
Tinder Doubles Down On Its Casual Nature
TECH CRUNCH – Nov 8 – Tinder has never really shaken its reputation as a "hook up" app, instead of one designed for more serious dating. Now, it seems Tinder is planning to embrace its hook up status. According to Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg, Tinder is launching its first-ever brand marketing campaign that will promote the "single lifestyle" with billboards and other digital initiatives. "The market defined the brand, versus the business defining the brand," said Ginsberg, referring to its "hook up app" reputation. The company will also invest more in Hinge going forward. Ginsberg said Hinge will help the company to address the "previously underserved" audience of 20-somethings looking for a serious relationship. The plan is to make Hinge the anti-Tinder, then pull in users as they exit Tinder in search of something real.
by Sarah Perez
See full article at Tech Crunch
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Harmonica, The eHarmony Of Egypt
QANTARA.DE – Nov 8 – Lack of compatibility is often cited by Egyptian partners who go their separate ways just a few years into marriage, one of the common reasons behind millions of divorces in Egypt. A group of young Egyptians decided to launch a mobile app called Harmonica with hopes the app will help reduce the divorce rate in Egypt. Harmonica asks users a large number of questions that have been designed by psychology specialists. These questions help pinpoint the interests and way of thinking of each user to a great extent. The answers are then analysed by a certain algorithm; based on the results, the application determines the best potential partners. The founders stress that Harmonica is not a dating app, but rather it has been specially designed for people looking for spouses.
by Mostafa Fathi
See full article at Qantara.de
Domino’s Pizza To Launch A Dating App
DAILYMAIL.CO.UK – Nov 8 – Fast food giant Domino's Pizza has announced plans to launch a dating app to match customers over their favourite toppings. CEO Don Meij said Domino's is set to launch a dating app in Netherlands at the company's general meeting in Brisbane on Wednesday. 'Simply swipe your favourite pizza and the Domino's dating app will connect you to other pizza lovers, find a match, and go on a date,' he said.