BUSINESS INSIDER – Nov 5 – When Tinder launched in 2012, every match felt like an adrenaline rush. But those matches are no longer quite as exciting. A 2016 study looked at the user reviews of 97 dating apps and analyzed how their quality scores have changed over the past year. Tinder experienced the largest YOY decline. In a 2016 survey by Consumers' Research, 13% of Tinder users reported relationships lasting longer than one month. Its photo-based interface probably contributed to its hookup image. Apps like Bumble, Hinge, Happn, Coffee Meets Bagel, Siren, Her are not heavily photo-based. Bumble has a similar interface as Tinder, but doesn't have the reputation of being a hookup app. That's because only women can message their matches first on Bumble. Men seem to like the app because women seem to take more initiative in starting a conversation. Siren, which launched in late 2015, abandons the swipe interface entirely. It features a daily question and a feed that displays users' answers.
Category: Outlets – Business Insider
It Looks Like Hinge Is Going Back To Freemium Model
BUSINESS INSIDER – Nov 4 – In October, Hinge launched a totally new app focused on relationships (versus hookups). After a free trial everyone on Hinge was supposed to pay $7 per month. Hinge's CEO was shunning the freemium model. He said the people who pay tended to be "power users" of swiping apps. Now it seems that he has changed his mind and is not going to force everyone to pay. This is what the app sent to its users today: "As an Early Member, you've helped create a community of people who want more. To thank you, we'd like to give you Hinge free, forever." What Hinge is offering is a "Basic Membership" with limited features.
Ashley Madison Has A Long Way To Go
by Paul Szoldra
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Most Indian Dating Apps Cater To People Who Are Serious
BUSINESS INSIDER – Oct 26 – Today, online dating is all about swiping left or right on smartphones. Unlike the West, where one night stands is not seen as a social taboo, in India, people browsing dating apps, often look for a long time commitment. "We aren't like Western dating apps, which are primarily for 'hook-ups'. Nor are we traditional desi matrimonial sites. We've tried to remove the taboo from the term 'dating' in the Indian world by associating it with safety and compatibility", said Sachin Bhatia, CEO and Co-Founder of TrulyMadly, a dating app. Another dating app, Woo, has started for people looking for a relationship. Woo has a Trust Score for every user, based on the amount of information a user volunteers to share with the app. This impacts the matches she/he receives. There is also a manual verification system in place to double check profiles.
by Suchayan Mandal
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Tinder Culture Is Killing Retail
The Inner Circle Is Launching In New York
BUSINESS INSIDER – Oct 15 – The Inner Circle, already available in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Milan, Stockholm, and Zurich, officially went live in New York City last week. The Inner Circle vets users before letting them onto its platform, focusing specifically on how successful and how attractive they are. The platform claims to have ~145k users and 125k on the waiting list.
by Sam Shead
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Tinder Tells Users Which Profile Photo Works The Best
Tinder Now Lets Users Use Music To Find A Date
Hinge CEO Is Not Afraid Of Making Big Changes
BUSINESS INSIDER – Sep 17 – When Hinge was floundering in 2012, Justin McLeod spent $25k on a huge 2,000-person launch party to kick-start its growth. The company only had $32k left in the bank at the time. It worked. Now McLeod hopes another big bet can save Hinge. The app is bleeding users and has plummeted to a 1.5-star rating as McLeod and his team has been working on something totally new. The new product will be unveiled this week.
by Nathan McAlone & Biz Carson
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Tinder Is Violating EU Law
BUSINESS INSIDER – Aug 3 – A Belgian member of the European Parliament, is accusing Tinder of violating EU law by saying it might re-use users' photos after their accounts are deactivated, MEP alleges. The MEP is calling for the European Commission to open an investigation into Tinder.