Bumble – Online Personals Watch

Grindr Tests Bot-to-Bot Dating as AI Moves Deeper Into Matchmaking

Posted on October 19, 2026

CNN – Dating apps are moving beyond AI-written profiles and messages towards automating parts of the dating process itself. Grindr is testing bot-to-bot conversations that could vet potential dates before users speak, while Bumble is developing AI-driven matchmaking and Hinge is adding AI tools for profile creation and conversation starters. Newer apps Amata, Sitch, and Ditto are taking another approach, using detailed questionnaires and AI to narrow users down to a smaller pool of matches rather than endless swiping.

See full article at CNN

Bumble Launches Searchable Handles for Dating Profiles

Posted on October 15, 2026

FAST COMPANY – Bumble has launched Handles, searchable usernames that let people find and like a specific profile instead of relying only on the app’s recommendations. Users can share their handle when meeting someone in person, use it to introduce friends, or post it on social media. Messaging still requires a mutual match, and handles can be switched off at any time. The feature is currently available to iOS users in the US.

See full article at Fast Company

Ithaca Holdings to Acquire Bumble for $1.3B

Posted on October 13, 2026

PRESS RELEASE – Ithaca Holdings has agreed to acquire Bumble in an all-cash deal valued at $1.3 billion. Shareholders will receive $6.05 per share, a 138% premium to Bumble’s closing price on October 9. The board approved the deal, and affiliates of Blackstone and founder Whitney Wolfe Herd provided the required shareholder approval. Bumble will become a private company and remain based in Austin, with offices in London and New York. Ithaca co-founders Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman will become co-CEOs, while Wolfe Herd will remain actively involved.

See full article at Bumble website

Bumble in Talks to Go Private in $1 Billion Deal

Posted on October 13, 2026

REUTERS – Bumble is in advanced talks to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings in a deal valuing the dating app company at $1 billion. Ithaca Holdings is a technology investment company founded by Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman. Bumble shares jumped 50% on Monday following the news. Bumble went public in 2021 at a valuation of $14 billion. Annual revenue declined nearly 10% to $966 million in 2025, while paying users fell more than 11% to 3.7 million. Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd returned as CEO in March 2025 and has since introduced AI-powered features and new ways for users to connect. Neither company has confirmed the proposed deal.

See full article at Reuters

Blackstone Prepares to Exit Bumble After Nearly Seven Years

Posted on September 11, 2026

BUSINESS INSIDER – Blackstone is preparing to exit its remaining stake in Bumble after nearly seven years, despite the dating company’s shares falling 96% from their peak. Blackstone and Accel invested $2.1B in Bumble’s parent company in 2019 and ultimately recouped roughly twice that amount, largely by selling shares early. Blackstone recovered much of its investment around Bumble’s 2021 IPO and sold another $1B of shares later that year. Its remaining 22.4M shares are now worth just over $60M. Blackstone has been reducing its position through an agreement with UBS and could be fully out by early 2027. The exit comes as Bumble undergoes a turnaround, with paying users down 16.4% YoY in Q2 2026, while the company is also reportedly exploring a potential sale.

See full article at Business Insider

Podcast With Boston University Researcher on Why Users Are Leaving Dating Apps

Posted on August 25, 2026

NPR – Dating apps are seeing a steady decline in paying users, with Match Group and Bumble both reporting subscriber losses. Boston University researcher Kathryn Coduto attributes the drop to technology fatigue, subscription costs and declining interest in swipe-based dating, particularly among Gen Z and millennials. Many users still keep free apps but increasingly prefer speed dating, running clubs and other interest-based events that guarantee face-to-face interaction. She said complaints such as ghosting and mismatched intentions are not unique to dating apps and also happen when people meet offline.

See full article at NPR

Bumble Tried to Change Dating, but the Dating Market Forced It to Change Instead

Posted on August 24, 2026

WIRED – Bumble has ended its women-first rule, allowing men to initiate conversations. Bumble said 66% of surveyed women preferred men to message first and that testing increased chat initiation. However, some users fear the change will bring more unwanted messages and turn Bumble into another version of Tinder. The decision suggests that Bumble’s original women-first identity had become a commercial disadvantage as the company struggles to remain competitive and profitable.

See full article at Wired

Dating Apps Rework Core Features as Users Lose Interest

Posted on August 17, 2026

THE GUARDIAN – Bumble has removed its requirement for women to initiate conversations and is preparing to replace swiping. The company is developing an AI matchmaking assistant called Bee, while Tinder is testing its AI-powered Chemistry system and Grindr is becoming an “AI-first” platform. Startups including Fate are also replacing profile browsing with AI-led matching. Researchers argue that AI may not address users’ underlying concerns about poor matches, monetization practices, privacy and the growing use of AI communication. They suggest that better moderation, clearer policies and greater user control could be more effective than adding AI to the existing dating-app model.

See full article at The Guardian

Dating Apps Shift From Swiping to Curated Matches and Events

Posted on August 17, 2026

FORTUNE – Dating apps are rethinking swiping as declining user numbers and frustration among Gen Z put pressure on the established model. Match Group’s paying users fell 6% to 13.3M, Tinder’s MAU dropped 7%, and Bumble’s paying users declined 16.4% to 3.2M. Researchers argue that swiping keeps users engaged but often produces burnout, unanswered messages, and conversations that never become dates. Companies are therefore focusing on fewer, more relevant matches and offline experiences. Bumble is testing Plans, an app for curated events, while Tinder expects to expand its Events feature from 10 cities to 75 by the end of 2026. Tinder said 71% of eligible users aged 18 to 24 used Events during its LA pilot, with more than half returning the following week.

See full article at Fortune

Bumble Ends Its Women-First Messaging Rule

Posted on August 12, 2026

TECH CRUNCH – Bumble has ended its women-message-first rule, a major shift from the principle on which it built its brand in 2014. Either person can now start a conversation, and matches have 72 hours to respond instead of 24. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd described the update as an evolution rather than a retreat from the company’s original mission. The company said 66% of women surveyed preferred men to message first. Bumble began relaxing the rule in 2024 with Opening Moves, a feature that allowed women to set a question on their profile that a man could answer. The latest change comes as the company tries to revive its struggling business.

See full article at Tech Crunch

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