Features

Popular dating app Tinder is testing a new feature called Feed, aimed at providing users more insight to their matches, and to help spark conversations.

Feed consists of a real-time feed of social media posts from a user’s matches, specifically posts from Instagram and Spotify. The idea is that users can look at what their matches are virtually sharing moment by moment to get a better idea of what they are like – what they are listening to at any given time, where they are, and what they like doing.

The new feature will appear as a tab in the messages screen, according to website Tech Crunch. Users can respond directly to posts in their Feed without having to go back to the profile screen, making it easy to interact. Instead of having to be too descriptive in the profile, or thinking of something unique to say as an introduction, users can let their Instagram photos and playlists speak for themselves.

Launched in London as 3nder in 2014, Feeld began as a dating platform for singles and couples looking for the illusive ménage à trois. The media quickly branded it “Tinder for threesomes,” and before long, the company found itself on the wrong end of a lawsuit served by Tinder itself.

Though that would be disastrous news for almost any other fledgling startup, 3nder bravely rebranded and came back better than ever. As Feeld, the app now calls itself “a space where you can find your people and experience what you really desire.” The focus is on community, and the app caters not just to those looking for group action in the sack, but to anyone kinky, open-minded, into polyamory, outside the gender-binary, or simply curious.

Feeld was recently re-released with a new design to enhance the mobile experience for iOS and Android users. This marks the first of many updates intended to bring Feeld back into the spotlight, including an account pairing option, a revamped navigation system, and a location changing feature.

Online dating is the most popular way to meet, thanks to dating apps like Tinder that made it fun to swipe right and easily match with a stranger. But the introduction of AI technology to the online dating industry could change how people interact yet again, which means that swiping might become a thing of the past.

It’s hard to believe when dating apps are so ubiquitous. But a recent article on NBCNews’ website delved into the potential of incorporating AI into the online dating experience, and how that might change dating culture.

We rely on technology and its advances; it has become a huge part of how we function and communicate, and will continue to evolve. As one researcher noted, twenty years ago, who would have thought services like Uber and Lyft could exist, where people virtually asked strangers to give them rides?

Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of female-friendly dating app Bumble, was just named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, and is featured on its December 2017 cover. This is no small feat – her dating app has amassed a large following with 70% year-on-year growth, according to the article, and has 22 million registered users. In comparison Tinder has 46 million registered users and last year saw growth at 10%.

The company is also being eyed by Match Group, owner of dating app rival Tinder, and is said to be in talks for over a billion dollars as an asking price. Herd turned down the company’s original offer of $450 million, according to recent reports.

With the end of the year rapidly approaching, dating services have released a flood of updates and new features to close 2017 on a high note.

Coffee Meets Bagel Updates

Coffee Meets Bagel took a cue from Snapchat and introduced ephemeral video in the form of a ‘question of the day’. Users may record up to eight seconds of video answering the question, which then appears in the video section for other users to browse. The section is wiped clean every 24 hours to make room for a new question.

“We learned that people don’t really feel a connection to each other until they meet, which makes any dating app feel like a lot of work,” said cofounder and COO Dawoon Kang. “We wanted to figure out a way for users to make a genuine connection from right within the app, and so we decided on video.”

Dating sites regularly add new features to help users find love and stay competitive in an increasingly crowded market.

Over the years we’ve seen Coffee Meets Bagel partner with Yelp and Spotify, Tinder ramp up its famous swipe with Super Like, The League copy it with Power Play, Bumble introduce a time limit for responding to matches, and that’s barely the tip of the updates iceberg.

OkCupid, too, is no stranger to launching new features. Back in 2009, the site debuted its A-List premium paid subscription. In 2013, it experimented with (and quickly ditched) a sister app called Crazy Blind Date. In 2014 and 2015 came expanded options for gender self-identification and the Identity Project. In 2016, OkCupid released an update for nonmonogamous daters, and most recently, users were introduced to a Member Pledge and photo commenting.

But not every update makes the cut.