Facebook

Facebook is testing a new virtual speed dating app called Sparked, an alternative to the swiping and messaging process of traditional dating apps.

Facebook describes the app as “video dating with kind people,” setting the tone for its users and to differentiate itself from other apps. The company also says that Sparked does not require its users to set up public profiles, and there’s no swiping or DMs - a departure from traditional dating apps. 

Instead, Sparked will provide a list of virtual speed dating events in different cities that users can join, according to The Verge. Once they do, they will begin the speed dating process and each date will last about four minutes. At the end of each mini-date, Sparked will ask how each person felt about the date. If they both agree that they had a “great time,” they’ll be scheduled for a second, ten-minute date. After the second date, if the couple wants to exchange information to stay in touch, they can do so themselves through Instagram, iMessage or email.

Apple announced in early April that it will soon be rolling out its new privacy notification for users who download any app from its store. The company didn’t give a specific launch date but said that it would happen “in the coming weeks” according to Reuters. 

Apple has created a one-time notice that requires an app developer to ask for the user’s consent before the app is able to track personal data and share it with third parties, according to Reuters. CEO Tim Cook described the notification in a podcast with tech journalist Kara Swisher, saying it will appear as a short checklist of how the app will use data, to make it easier and more transparent than sifting through the standard pages-long privacy policies that most people do not read. 

Digital advertisers and app developers are worried that the notification would cause many more users to decline permissions. 

Bumble Inc. made its IPO filing public Friday January 15th, following rumors that the company would go public in time for Valentine’s Day. The app is expected to list on NASDAQ under the BMBL ticker.

According to The New York Post, Bumble reported revenue of $488.9 million in 2019, and $376.6 million in revenue between January 29 and September 30th of 2020. (Fourth quarter results have not been reported.) The pandemic has helped fuel dating app sign-ups and activity, with people using them to connect in a time of social distancing. Bumble offers an in-app video chat feature, which has been incredibly popular the last several months as people were in lockdown.

Facebook has announced the launch of Facebook Dating in Europe and the U.K. following a nine-month delay from its original debut, which was scheduled for Valentine’s Day.

The new service is part of the larger Facebook Platform, and operates much the same as it does in the U.S. and other parts of the world, according to Tech Crunch. Users can pull photos and Stories from Instagram to populate their profiles. They can also use the Secret Crush feature to identify Facebook friends and Instagram followers that you are interested in without them knowing. If you both choose each other, then you are matched and can begin chatting – otherwise, your secret crush will never know you chose them.

Facebook Redesign now Live to All

Image: Facebook

Social media giant Facebook has undergone its fifth major redesign since the company was founded, highlighting groups and invitations and taking the focus off of its news feed. This could help single users who aren’t necessarily on Facebook Dating, but want to connect with people in their circles.

The new redesign places groups front and center along with events, which are the two most heavily used features of Facebook. There are tens of millions of active Facebook groups according to the company, and more than 400 million users belong to a group that they “find meaningful,” according to the company’s blog post. 

Facebook has created a new app exclusively for couples dubbed Tuned. With it, they are able to share messages, music and digital scrapbooks with each other privately and in theory – deepen their connection.

Facebook entered the relationship app world with Facebook Dating, which has fallen flat among users as Tinder, Bumble and other dating apps have seen a surge of activity. Tuned however was created by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team, and focuses exclusively on couples instead of singles – helping them foster an intimate virtual connection. There hasn’t been a huge marketing push like there was ahead of the launch of Facebook Dating. Instead, Tuned has had a quiet rollout, almost like a beta test.