Contributed by: kellyseal on Friday, January 21 2022 @ 07:44 am
Last modified on Friday, January 21 2022 @ 07:53 am
Dating app Tinder has confirmed it is developing a new interactive feature called Swipe Party, enabling others to virtually join a user as they sort through profiles.
Swipe Party was discovered by Dutch website GratisDatingTips[*1] , who spotted new lines of code added to the app’s latest update. Citing further proof of the new feature, the site also discovered that a developer at Tinder had listed Swipe Party as his main development project, further tipping off news outlets like Tech Crunch to what was underway. Tech Crunch[*2] confirmed with Tinder that this feature is in development.
There aren’t many details yet about how Swipe Party will work, but Tech Crunch noted that it does involve a user inviting friends to join and enabling the microphone and video functions on the app. The idea is that multiple users can observe as a user looks at profiles, and advise whether to swipe left or right, making choosing a match a group effort.
Group interactive events are becoming more popular, as is seen with Apple’s SharePlay and online group workouts via fitness apps, as well as Hulu, Prime and Disney+ offering features to watch content with friends, for example.
This interactive feature also aligns with Tinder’s new Explore section, where users can search profiles by interest category and strike up a conversation, participate in Hot Takes (virtual speed dating), or watch its popular series Swipe Night. Tinder’s parent company Match Group has alluded to adding more interactive features to its apps, including delving into the metaverse where users can create avatars to go on virtual dates with each other. This also follows Match Group’s acquisition of social networking company Hyperconnect, which provides the platform for interactive features across its dating apps.
Match Group also plans to add group audio and video chats to its platform over the next couple of years, and the new feature on Tinder looks to be the first step in this direction.
Tech Crunch points out that the Swipe Party feature wouldn’t be limited to singles who join Tinder to date, but would instead open the app up to anyone who wants to participate. This widens the pool of potential users beyond singles and paves the way forward for Tinder to evolve into a social networking platform and not just a dating app.
“We are always exploring features to help our members connect in new, fun ways,” a Tinder spokesperson told TechCrunch, when asked about Swipe Party.
To find out more about this dating service you can read our Tinder dating app review.