Tinder Introduces Friend Feature with Version 3.0
Tinder have released an updated 3.0 version, bringing a new user interface and introducing a “just friends” grouping function.
This allows users to group the people they are chatting to into different lists – letting you group your non-romantic friends together.
Sean Rad, CEO of Tinder, says that people are using the app to chat to friends, and this update marks the first expansion into a more universal-use app.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Rad says: “We have a vision that’s clearly defined: we want to overcome all the issues of meeting new people, and focused on our own roadmap.”
He talks about this update being the first move into creating a complete “graph of people you want to know” – whether those people are potential romantic partners, or work colleagues, or friends.
Rad wants the new lists feature, in tandem with an updated algorithm matching system, to be the first step to increasing use from those who aren’t single.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Rad says: “You have certain co-workers, acquaintances, and whatnot, and it would be socially awkward if you added them on Facebook.”
Taking the example of a friend of his cofounder, Whitney, he says: “It’d be weird to add her on Facebook, or follow on Instagram, but for the first time I can say “Hey Whitney, what’s up?” if we’ve both swiped right.
“That’s the breakthrough with Tinder, that signal has been gone until now.”
Rad has also hinted at taking the functionality of Tinder into business networking, but says while he still intends to go ahead with this, it will not be within the next few months.
Forbes recently reported that the app is growing in the UK and Brazil, achieving a 2% increase per day – which translates to around 20,000 users.
Tinder has also introduced 24 new languages, including Russian, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and Spanish.
