Tinder unveils major update that changes how users date

Tinder is set to introduce a new double date feature in the UK from mid-July, targeting Gen Z and young women seeking less intense dating scenarios.

The dating app‘s new function allows users to team up with up to three friends, creating a pair that can then “swipe right” on other pairs.

A match is made when just one like is registered from each pair, leading to the creation of a group chat where the two pairs can message each other and coordinate a date.

After testing the feature in several international markets for months, Tinder reports it has been successful in attracting young people and women who are looking for a more relaxed and social approach to meeting new people.

According to its internal data, nearly 90 per cent of double date profiles came from users under the age of 29.

Generation Z – which is typically defined as those born between 1997 and 2012 – make up more than half of Tinder’s global user base.

The platform has been ramping up efforts to retain women and Gen Z users following the Covid pandemic, growing safety concerns and a broader shift in the way younger people approach dating.

This has included rolling out additional safety features such as ID verification and “share my date” – which allows users to share details of their date, including the time, place, and a photo of their match, with friends and family.

Tinder, which launched in 2012, helped bring online dating into the mainstream and is now the world’s most-used app with about 50 million users per month.

The Los Angeles-based company is owned by Match Group, which owns a raft of dating platforms including Hinge and OkCupid.

Data from the testing stage showed women were three times more likely to like a pair than they were individual profiles, and match rates have been significantly higher for those using the feature.

Furthermore, Tinder said it was helping attract new and returning users to the app – with nearly 15% of those who accepted a double date invite either new to the platform or had recently reactivated their profile.