Month: February 2023
Matrimony Reports 3.8% YOY Billing Growth in Q3 FY23
MATRIMONY – Matrimony.com, the leading online matrimony company, announced its financial results for the third quarter and nine months ending Dec 31, 2022. Q3 billing grew 3.8 YOY to Rs 111.4 crores ($13.5M). Revenue was Rs 110.4 crores ($13.4M), up 1.7% YOY. Profit After Tax (PAT) was Rs 11.6 crores ($1.5M), up 0.9% YOY. Matchmaking revenue was Rs 107.8 crores ($13M), up 0.5% YOY. The company added 2.38 lakhs (238K) paid subscriptions during the quarter (up 10.7% YOY).
Dating App Shipp Makes Users Talk for 7 Minutes Before Revealing Profile Photo
COCONUTS – Shipp, a Singapore-based app, aims to differentiate itself by letting its users chat for 7 minutes before seeing what the other person looks like. The company behind Shipp surveyed 200 participants to find out what people didn't like about other dating apps. The feedback they got was that swiping for potential partners can cause "fatigue" or result in "shallow" pointless conversations after matching. Another problem was ghosting. Thus, the app ditches using profile photos for people's initial matches. Instead, users match based purely on text profiles.
Iris Dating Integrates ChatGPT AI Technology to Create Authentic Profile Bios
BUSINESS WIRE – Iris Dating, a dating app powered by AI, is integrating ChatGPT into its platform. This integration will allow the app to generate highly personalized bios for its users that reflect their unique personalities and interests.
Bootstrapped Dating App QuackQuack Reports 115% Growth in FY 22-23
ITVOICE – One of India's first homegrown dating platforms, QuackQuack, has beaten all market odds to clock 115% growth for FY 22-23. The company is now heading towards $4 M in annual run rate. QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal said: "Being bootstrapped from Day 1 has saved us from the perils of worrying about funding from VCs or any other sources, which allowed us to have an uninterrupted focus on delivering the best product to our users."
OkCupid Debuts ChatGPT-Generated Matching Questions
- Are you more of an introvert or extrovert?
- Are you a morning or night person?
- What's your favorite way to spend a weekend?
- What do you value most in a partner?
- How do you know when to take a relationship to the next level?
- How do you balance your own needs with the needs of your partner in a relationship?
The questions have been answered more than 125,000 times and counting, and Gen Z is surely leading the charge. 31% of Gen Z daters on OkCupid don't think that using AI to create a profile or message others on dating apps is a violation of trust.
Study: Online Daters Are ‘Addicted’ and the Majority Left Depressed
DAILYMAIL.CO.UK – Users of dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge spend 55 minutes a day 'swiping', according to a new study by eHarmony which shows this is having a 'severe' impact on user mental health. 39% of users check the apps as soon as they wake in the morning, while 48% swipe just before bedtime. 70% of singletons feel anxious or depressed after using them. The research – carried out by eHarmony among 1K Britons – also found 44% of users want a casual hook-up while 27% of women use apps to get an ego boost.
Replika Is an AI Chatbot That Can Offer Romantic Companionship to Its Users
BUSINESS INSIDER – Replika is backed by Y Combinator, which was once run by OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman. OpenAI created ChatGPT. Insider spoke to a user who said he has real feelings for his companion. He paid for Replika's Pro subscription, which gets users a more intelligent language model and the option to do voice calls, augmented reality, and sexting.
Tinder Rolls out New Safety Features, Including an Incognito Mode
TECH CRUNCH – One of the new features is called "Incognito Mode" and is a step up from fully hiding your profile. Members can still swipe, but only those whom they've Liked will see them in their recommendations. The feature is designed to allow users to control who sees them while scrolling through profiles on Tinder. Incognito Mode is a premium feature available for Tinder+, Gold and Premium members. Tinder is also launching a new "Block Profile" feature that allows users to choose who they want to see on Tinder. In addition, Tinder is making it easier for users to report bad behavior by introducing "Long Press Reporting", which lets people tap and hold offensive messages, launching the reporting flow directly in the chat. Last, Tinder is updating its "Does This Bother you?" and "Are You Sure" prompts to include more language that it classifies as harmful.
Gen Z and Millennials Accept Online Creeping and Stalking as Part of Dating Culture
PR NEWSWIRE – A new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Norton, a consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen, reveals Gen Z (ages 18-25) and Millennials (ages 26-42) have concerningly relaxed attitudes about online stalking. 34% of Gen Z and 35% of Millennials don't care if they are being stalked online by a current/former partner, as long as they are not being stalked in person. This is more than three times higher than what older adults (age 58+) (10%) reported. "The fact that so many Gen Z and Millennials think online stalking is acceptable tells us that more needs to be done to educate younger generations about the dangers," said Kevin Roundy, Senior Technical Director of Norton Labs.