Tinder isn’t the only major dating app turning away from the swipe and towards real-world events to attract Gen Z users who’ve grown tired of traditional online dating. On Wednesday, Bumble touted the early success of its newest app, Plans, designed to connect people “IRL” in low-pressure, group settings, and spoke of what comes next for Bumble’s flagship app after the “swipe” is dead.
On its second-quarter earnings call with investors, Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Heard said the company’s newest app, Plans, showed “promising results” in early tests over the past few months, and the company would “lean more into real-life experiences” going forward.
Combined with Tinder’s news this week that it, too, is doubling down on in-person events, it’s clear there’s a major shift happening in online dating. Simply put, the swipe era is coming to an end.
“I am a firm believer that the future of meeting people in groups will become more important. People love to come together in groups and see who they naturally share chemistry with once they have met,” Wolfe Heard told analysts on the call. “…Group socializing is a real part of how Gen Z prefers to meet, and we believe Bumble represents a natural bridge from meeting to socializing to then dating.”
