Bumble will allow both users to start a conversation
The Bumble dating app will allow either of the two users who have been matched to send the first message. The company is doing away with the rule that, in heterosexual matches, only the woman could initiate a conversation.
This rule has been one of Bumble’s defining features since the app’s launch in 2014. On most other dating apps, including Tinder, either user can send the first message.
According to NDTV World, citing Reuters, Bumble will also extend the response window from 24 to 72 hours. The company expects this to help increase the number of conversations and reduce the number of matches that expire without any interaction.
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Bumble stated that testing the changes in Canada showed higher rates of chat initiation, fewer expired chats, and more mutual conversations. Founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said the changes were a response to user demand for greater flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities for meaningful connections.
The changes come amid user fatigue with traditional swipe-based platforms and a slowdown in the growth of the dating app market. Earlier this month, Bumble forecast third-quarter revenue below Wall Street estimates and reported a 16.4% decline in the number of paying users.
