Category: Reporters – Lauren Forristal
Tinder Introduces ‘Share My Date’ Safety Feature
TECH CRUNCH – Tinder has introduced a new feature called "Share My Date," allowing users to share their date plans, including the match's name, meeting location, date, and time, directly from the app. This feature lets users send a link with these details to friends and loved ones, which is editable and can be sent up to 30 days in advance. The link is accessible to both Tinder users and non-users, though non-users see a limited profile version. Inspired by the common practice among singles to inform friends about their dates, this feature is part of Tinder's effort to enhance user safety and enjoyment. The rollout will be in U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, India, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Brazil, Singapore, Switzerland, Mexico, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Tinder’s New Warnings Inform Users When They’re Potentially Being Inappropriate
TECH CRUNCH – Tinder is introducing warnings for users aged 18-25 to promote respectful behavior, focusing on authenticity, respectfulness, and inclusiveness. These warnings, part of Tinder's safety initiatives, alert users about guideline violations and offer a chance for correction, with repeated offenses risking profile removal.
Dating App Hatched Brings Its Hidden Profile Concept
TECH CRUNCH – The dating app Hatched, which hides user profiles within egg icons that reveal through answering questions, has expanded to the East Coast and introduced new paid features. The app uses an in-app currency, "Yolks," for premium actions like "super hatch." Focused on fostering deeper connections through personality traits rather than physical appearance, Hatched provides questions designed by therapists to unlock profile information. The app limits users to six daily matches, with options to purchase more using Yolks.
Keepler: Bridging Dating Expertise With Community Support
TECH CRUNCH – Keepler is a new dating and relationship app that connects users with expert advice and community support. While it's free, professionals can offer paid services. The app features peer-to-peer advice tools and a "Wheel of Life" chart for self-assessment. Aimed at addressing modern dating challenges, it emphasizes the importance of community. Currently available on iOS, an Android version is underway.
Dating App The League Launches ‘GoalMate’ Feature
Tinder Trials AI Features
TECH CRUNCH – Tinder is trialling an AI feature that chooses the best photos to represent a user in their dating profile. Match Group CEO, Bernard Kim, explained that AI can help users build more accurate profiles efficiently. The company is also testing other AI capabilities, such as content surfacing, and potentially using generative AI to assist users in writing their bio. However, they remain aware of the need to balance this with maintaining authenticity and addressing ethical and privacy concerns. This comes as part of a broader trend, with various dating apps integrating AI to improve user experience, from chat features to dating advice tools.
Match Launches New Live in-app Event Called ’72 Hours’
TECH CRUNCH – Match.com is introducing a time-sensitive feature called "72 Hours" to foster more meaningful connections among its users. The feature, available weekly, allows users to message potential matches for three days before the conversation vanishes. During the designated time frame, members can select nearby profiles on a map and start conversations in hopes of making weekend plans with the other person before time runs out. Initially available in New York, the feature will gradually roll out nationwide. The idea behind "72 Hours" is to combat conversations that never move beyond the app and eventually die out.
Video Is Fueling the Newest Group of Dating App Startups
TECH CRUNCH – TechCrunch looked at three new video-based dating startups that are using video to connect people in advance of their real-world dates.
Candid
Launched on February 14 to offer users a new TikTok-style dating app with video profiles to show off their personality. The 45-second videos are recorded in-app, so potential matches know the video was recently taken and is authentic.
Ditto
Formerly known as Iso Date, Ditto is the startup's new video speed dating app where users can have 3-minute speed dating sessions via live video chat. The sessions occur every Tuesday from 8 -9 p.m. ET. Ditto is currently available to New York users only.
IRLY
Another video chat-based dating app, IRLY (I Really Like You), is launching on Feb 28. Catering to Gen Z, IRLY lets users video chat with a potential match and play in-app games like "Truth or Dare," "Would You Rather" and more. IRLY was founded in 2021 by Canada-based university students Connor Rose and Laura Rollock. Social media influencer Cameron Dallas joined as a co-founder in Nov 2022.
Tawkify Acquires S’More
TECH CRUNCH – Matchmaking service provider Tawkify has acquired S'More, an "anti-superficial" dating app that had experimented with blurred profile photos and blurred video chats in an attempt to get people to get to know one another without the focus on physical appearance. With the acquisition, S'More is sunsetting its app, and founder Adam Cohen Aslatei will instead join the Tawkify team to lead the launch of its first-ever mobile product. Deal terms were not disclosed, but S'More had raised $3.2M in seed funding, according to Crunchbase. Set to launch in mid-2023, Tawkify's new app will offer users access to its matchmaking service, new relationship wellness services, as well as "multimedia features, sharable and exclusive content," said Cohen Aslatei. As of the time of the acquisition, S'More claimed to have ~450K users.
by Lauren Forristal
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