Video dating has become an increasingly popular option during the pandemic as we become increasingly starved for anything remotely resembling human contact, with apps scrambling to push out video services.
After a launching a “Date From Home” feature last month that lets you invite someone to video chat, dating app Hinge is now testing out in-app video chat capabilities, with the feature set to go live globally in the summer.
Hinge also rolled out a new user survey suggesting singles are getting used to video dating. Eighty-one per cent of those surveyed said they found video dates only a little bit of awkward or not awkward at all. Half of users who have gone on video dates— 52 percent — said that they expect to incorporate them into their dating process after COVID-19.
There’s also a sense of etiquette emerging around video dating: 67 per cent of users say scheduling a video date in advance is necessary.
Around two-thirds (63 per cent) said they felt a connection grow with someone they met via video chat, with 30 per cent of women and 43 per cent of men saying they’d consider becoming exclusive with someone they’ve been video chatting with. But it’s not a replacement for meeting up IRL: 85 per cent of those surveyed feel that video chat is more of a way to get to get to know someone than an actual date.
In short, get ready to keep that one Zoom-call-approved corner of your house clean for the foreseeable future.
