News

Google Creates Swipe-Based Feature For Picking Movies

Google has introduced a new feature to help indecisive people choose which film or television show to watch, releasing an innovation inspired by the mechanics of popular dating apps.

When users search for a term such as “what to watch” or “good films to watch” they will have the option to open a “Top Picks” carousel. Here, they can swipe through various titles until they land on one that suits their current mood.

Once they ‘like’ a show, an information card will pop up listing which streaming services it is available on and whether or not a payment is required. People can filter out platforms they are not subscribed to so they are only shown content that can be viewed for free.

With every swipe, the algorithm refines its understanding of the person’s taste so it can display more relevant results in the future. They can also search for specific genres or time periods, such as comedy or the 1980s, to bring up more specific results.

A number of small startups are using swipe functionality to create similar products, such as matching available jobs with new hires or connecting secondhand car sellers with buyers.

Android 10, Google’s new operating system, started to be rolled out yesterday, as the technology giant moved away from the tradition of alphabetically naming updates after popular desserts. 

Some of the new features included a more widely supported ‘Dark Mode’, and the introduction of ‘Focus Mode’, which blocks background apps to help users pay attention to important tasks.

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Dominic Whitlock

Dominic is the Editor for Global Dating Insights. Originally from Devon, England he achieved a BA in English Language & Linguistics from The University of Reading. He enjoys a variety of sports and has a further passion for film and music.

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