THE DATING APP designed to let women take the lead has introduced a new feature that allows men they match with to message first.
But after a swanky marketing campaign and long build-up to the revamp, users have been left disappointed with the reveal, which they say changes very little about the dating app experience.
Bumble, which was launched in 2014, had sought to set itself apart from competitors Tinder and Hinge by reducing the number of messages women receive.
But the app’s own research recently found that nearly 2 in 3 (61%) women still said that dating is more work for them than it is for men, with nearly 70% saying they’ve experienced dating app burnout.
In response, the new CEO Lidiane Jones has set about shaking up the very foundation the app was based on.
On Bumble, when users match, a 24-hour timer begins and if the woman does not message her match within that time, the match is no longer available to her.
Users can pay to extend this time, which is one of various premium features on the app that have become less and less attractive to users in recent years, contributing to the company’s financial difficulties.
The great news is: we’ve changed, so you don’t have to.
In an attempt to revive the app, a new feature called Opening Move now allows women to set an evergreen question that men they match with can respond to, without having to message them first.
Examples of questions include “What are your green and red flags?”, “What’s your karaoke song?” and “What’s the last thing that made you smile?”.
Users can also write their own Opening Move.
In the lead up to the unveiling, Bumble deleted all posts on its social media accounts, launching fresh photos on its Instagram account that teased a new aesthetic for the app and a “wake-up call” for the dating scene.
However, Bumble’s hyped up “new chapter” hasn’t been the breath of fresh air some users were crying out for.
Bumble’s latest Instagram post has been met with disappointment in the comments section.
“I was expecting an OVERHAUL of your entire app and ethos based on this marketing campaign. So sad! Marketing team killed it. Product team: You had the chance to change the name in this space and you missed it big,” one user wrote on Instagram.
“Such a big rebrand campaign for such minimal changes. This was not the fresh air, revolutionary change it was let on to be,” another said.
One person described it as a “letdown”, another said it’s “underwhelming”.
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