United States

Match Group, parent company of popular dating app Tinder, confirmed to Tech Crunch that the new premium service Tinder Platinum will be launching in Q4 of this year.

Tinder already offers two VIP tiers of service: Plus and Gold. There has been speculation for weeks about Platinum after a UK-based user said an offer popped up for the exclusive service as he was logged in over the web, but he wasn’t able to upgrade.

Tinder CEO Jim Lanzone

Popular dating app Tinder announced that Jim Lanzone, the former head of CBS Interactive, has been named the company’s new CEO.

Lanzone worked at CBS for nine years, including as president and CEO of CBS Interactive. He left CBS last year to join venture-capital firm Benchmark Capital, according to Variety. He replaces Elie Seidman, who headed up OkCupid before taking over Tinder in early 2018.

The Meet Group, parent company of dating apps like MeetMe, Skout, Tagged, GROWLr and LOVOO, has partnered with personal safety app UrSafe to offer users an array of new security options when they date. 

Through the “Date Night” feature on these dating apps, users will be prompted to opt in for a free 60-day premium subscription to UrSafe’s features, including Follow Me, Check In, Hands-Free SOS, and Fake Call. According to URSafe's press release, Follow Me and Check In allow the user to share locations with a trusted friend or family member while on the date, and the Hands-Free option lets users set personal trigger words that activate different responses within the app immediately, even if the user isn’t holding or touching their phone. Depending on the level of alert, UrSafe will connect the user to friends and family, or the authorities if needed. Fake Call can be activated as well, in case the user needs an “out” during the date. 

The app industry saw revenue spike to $50.1 billion for the first two quarters of 2020, in part due to people isolating at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Dating app Tinder topped the list of non-game app revenue earners.

This marks a 23.4% increase from the first half of 2019 according to Tech Crunch, compared with a 20% increase for the same time period between 2018 and 2019. The data seems to also point to a growing new user base. First time app installs were up 26.1% in the first half of 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019, and reached a total of 71.5 billion downloads.

Topping the non-game app list was dating app Tinder, followed by YouTube, and popular social apps TikTok and Tencent. Netflix was the fifth-highest earner.

A new study found that 60% of daters said they want to ease back into the dating scene slowly and remain cautious as the coronavirus rages on.

The new study from Dating.com surveyed daters across the U.S. about what they wanted and expected in their romantic lives as they come out of lockdown and venture out again. Since the virus is still spreading in this country, daters remain cautious about when and under what circumstances they are willing to meet in person.

That doesn’t mean they want to keep virtual dating forever – a whopping 85% said they are excited to get back to their normal dating schedule, including meeting dating app matches in person. Despite this excitement, a majority surveyed shared that they will continue to online date because they found it to be a good way to make connections.

Dating and social app Stitch has seen a growth of new users as people around the world began to isolate at home. The app is geared towards adults over 50 who are looking for community as well as a date.

Stitch is a non-profit focused on helping older adults address loneliness and social isolation, a growing problem as the virus continues to spread. Stitch notes that if you’re over 60 and experiencing loneliness, it has the same negative impact on health outcomes as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And while Stitch markets itself primarily as a social app for making friends, it also allows people to meet potential dates.

Older adults are most impacted by the coronavirus and are reaching out to new people online more than ever. Stitch has seen its membership rise to 150,000 members in the UK, US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.