Features

Tinders Matches Up For

Dating app giant Tinder is rolling out more options, testing a new feature to help its users better connect – this time spontaneously and in-person. The new feature dubbed “Matches Up For” allows users to set a status of what they are interested in doing that night, and see who from their matches is available to meet.

Matches Up For is intended to encourage users to connect in person. Tinder has been criticized for its “game-like” premise, and users have become frustrated with the flaky behavior of other app users. (Messaging with matches on Tinder often doesn’t lead to a date.) While Tinder still has the largest pool of singles among the many dating apps on the market, new apps are offering more relationship-focused features that encourage real-life connections, something Tinder users feel is lacking.

With Tinder’s new feature, users can let potential matches know if they are free that night, and can choose from a list of activities they’d be interested in doing.

Spring is off to a big start for MeetMe. The social discovery service recently announced the beta launch of a live video feature in its popular applications, followed a few days later by a completed acquisition and a rebrand to The Meet Group.

MeetMe introduced Live to the world on March 30. Live is a one-to-many video feature that allows users to broadcast themselves, watch other users’ broadcasts, and chat in real time. The feature is now available to MeetMe’s beta community, with plans to roll out to more users in the coming weeks.

After the completion of the initial rollout, MeetMe intends to launch new freemium products within the video streams to help monetize the feature and encourage broadcasters to produce high-quality content. The company also expects to bring the feature to its Skout mobile applications later in the year.

eHarmony has built a stellar reputation as one of the Web's most reliable dating services since it launched in 2000. The company is a pioneer in the field, one of the earliest to use science to create highly compatible relationships based on key dimensions of personality that are proven to predict successful long-term relationships.

In recent years, eHarmony has lost some of its sex appeal. It’s not as flashy or as technologically advanced as some of its competitors, but it remains a firm favourite for singles who are serious about finding love. The company knows its market well, and to further target them as the industry gets even more crowded, they have just announced the launch of eHarmony Premium.

eHarmony Premium offers an even more curated approach to online dating that builds upon their already-advanced matching algorithm to increase your odds of meeting the right person.

Tinder Online is Coming Soon!

Four years after Tinder debuted on mobile phones across the globe, the infamous dating app is finally coming to desktops.

"Introducing Tinder Online: a fun, new web experience and your English professor's worst nightmare. Mobile phones not allowed in class? Just fire up your laptop and swipe incognito. Cubicle life got you down? Now you can toggle between spreadsheets and Super Likes in a flash. ‘Not Enough Storage?’ Not a problem," Tinder announced on its official blog.

To start, visit Tinder.com from any browser. The experience will look familiar to anyone who has already used the app: login with Facebook, choose your photos, write a bio, and start searching. Tinder is also testing the ability to login via SMS directly from mobile phones in markets where Facebook access is limited.

Dating app Bumble has seen tremendous success since its launch over two years ago, with more than 12.5 million registrations to date. Now, the company wants to expand their services to offer connections for friendship and business opportunities, too.

Bumble debuted as a dating app, differentiating itself from Tinder by putting the power of communication in the hands of women, who are required to make the first move. Since then, the company has launched Bumble BFF for people seeking friendships rather than romantic relationships, and it is about to release Bumble Biz to connect people for business networking.

Tinder’s reign won’t let up. The dating app is not only the most recognizable in the industry, it’s also one of the most successful. With constant feature updates, like 2015’s introduction of the ‘Super Like’, Tinder ensures it remains on top of the game.

Two of the most recent updates have proved to be highly beneficial for the app. During a panel at this year’s SXSW, co-founder Sean Rad shared that Tinder has matched some 250,000 transgender users since unveiling new gender identity options last November. The company also increased its community education and refined its approach to preventing harassment.

“We have a great algorithm that can help, but no algorithm can solve humans,” Rad explained. “We were taken aback by how complex identity is. It’s a very complex area and, at the same time, Tinder is extremely simple.”