Coronavirus has changed dating apps “irreversibly” – Sifted

The $7bn dating app industry was built to bring couples face-to-face. Yet, while the majority of the world endures lockdown, dating apps are getting more attention than ever.

US giant Tinder reported its busiest day to date, ringing in more than 3bn swipes globally. Meanwhile, its younger rival Hinge reported a 30% spike in messages during March.

Hinge also rolled out a new virtual video date feature, which is here to stay.  “I really do think people will continue to do that after social distancing ends,” Hinge chief executive Justin McLeod told the BBC, claiming that 90% of video date attendees said they would do it again.

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Now Europe’s dating app startups say that virtual features will last beyond the pandemic as video dates become the new norm.

“The current normalisation of video communication is in one way irreversible,” says Philip Jonzon Jarl, the cofounder of Swedish dating app Relate. “There might be a new kind of pre-date step being born.”