During its Q2 earnings call, dating app conglomerate Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, and more than 43 other online dating services, announced it will be rolling out video chat, group live video, and other live streaming technologies to several of its brands within the next two years.
Match Group has recently acquired South Korean social platform company, Hyperconnect, for $1.73 billion USD, and hopes to use its tech assets to power new social features. Hyperconnect’s primary offerings are Azar and Hakuna Live. Azar is a mobile app that aims to connect people around the world through video chats and instantly translated voice and text messages. Hakuna Live is a live streaming app that connects groups through live video and audio broadcasts with significant adoption in South Korea and Japan.
“I am actually really excited about some of the technology elements they’ve been working on: AR features, self-expression tools, conversational AI, and a number of what we would consider metaverse elements, which have the element to transform the online meeting and getting-to-know-each-other process,” expressed Match CEO Share Dubey in the earnings call. While online dating apps have seen little development since their inception, Dubey believes “these technologies will eventually allow us to build experiences that will help people determine if they have that much elusive chemistry or not… Our ultimate vision here is for people to never have to go on a bad first date again.”
By the end of the year, Match Group aims to have at least two of its brands using Hyperconnect tech. The company has yet to shed light on exactly which of its apps will receive the new functions first.
In other tech-related news, WhatsApp’s new “View Once” feature lets you send disappearing photo and video.
