Online Dating

The New Match Dating App

In late 2018 Match did a major update for both their website and dating apps (iOS and Android). They dropped a number of features and made the navigation simpler to use. In a sense Match has gone back to the basics of online dating, offering only the key features needed to search, match and message.

The apps and website more closely mirror each other now with this new version in terms of design and features. One of the main things you will notice when you first launch the new app or log into the website is the updated color pallet. Gone are the washed out darker blues. In its place you have a much more vibrant blues. This makes things pop more on the screen. Profiles also stand out more in searching and matching as they appear on screen larger. Other changes include:

Republicans are having a tough time meeting people over popular apps like Tinder, Bumble and OkCupid. So in larger numbers, they are turning to specialty right-wing dating apps to find like-minded matches.

A recent report from Vox examined this trend, noting that a growing number of profiles include the phrase “Trump supporters swipe left” – so that conservatives don’t even get a chance to strike up a conversation. OkCupid and Bumble have allowed members to state up front if they won’t date someone who doesn’t agree with their politics, making it harder for people on opposite sides of the aisle to connect romantically.

Because of the brewing frustration among conservative daters, some new dating apps catering to the excluded crowd have grown in recent months. Righter, Conservatives Only, Trump Singles, Patrio, and Donald Daters all offer a politically-friendly alternative to daters who are feeling discouraged with their current options – including Trump staffers who, according to an article in the Washingtonian, said they were having trouble getting dates in D.C.

Tinder and Bumble have spent most of 2018 embroiled in a fierce legal battle over patent infringement, misuse of intellectual property and theft of trade secrets. At the center of the dispute is the swiping mechanism that has become a ubiquitous feature of modern dating. In March, Tinder’s parent company Match Group filed a lawsuit alleging that Bumble “copied Tinder’s world-changing, card-swipe-based, mutual opt-in premise.” Bumble responded with an aggressive countersuit asserting that the swiping interface is not an original notion worthy of patent protection.

After attempts to settle privately failed, the dispute headed to court and the first big ruling has been handed out.

Judge Alan Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas denied Bumble's claim that the Match Group patents in question are ineligible for patenting under Section 101 of the Patent Act.

Bumble New Search Filters

Image: Bumble

Female-friendly app Bumble has added another new feature aimed at pleasing users and monetizing its offerings: the ability to filter matches not only on its dating platform, but also for its networking apps Bumble Bizz and Bumble BFF.

The Filters feature allows users to sift through potential matches using a specific set of criteria, according to website Tech Crunch. One of the filters for Bumble Dating is by astrological sign, political leaning, or relationship type, and for Bumble Bizz you can filter by industry, for example. Users will be allowed to access two filters for free; they must pay for any additional filters.

The new feature is aimed at saving users time in their searches by limiting their choices to those who are most relevant to what they are looking for in a match, according to Tech Crunch.

I've been working on updating the Match review for 2019 (last major update was in 2017) and I stumbled on a statistics page Match put up for their dating service. On it they explain the breakdown of their members by age along with a few other interesting facts. I also found an article on Seeking Alpha which talks about Match Group (who owns Match.com) and what makes it an attractive buy at the moment for investors. Let’s summarize the more thought provoking of these stats.

Dating app Bumble announced that it will be sponsoring the seventh annual Prohibition NYE in downtown Los Angeles. The popular New Year’s Eve party has a “Roaring Twenties” theme against the backdrop of the historic Union Station.

The event is organized by McCullough and Ross in partnership with KCRW, and features world-class DJs, a live jazz ensemble, burlesque, and an open bar for guests. Live acts include local artist Classixx and Lyndsay and the All Nighters, according to the event’s PR. To help guests ring in the New Year with appropriate festivity, a ball will drop from the famous art deco ceiling of the train station.

Bumble users will be able to get into the event by showing an active profile on their phones, so if you’re interested in attending, be sure to download the app and set it up before arriving to the yellow-carpeted entrance. There will also be a photo booth, so it’s encouraged to dress for the occasion.