There are a ton of different dating apps, sites and services like Tinder that let you chat with a prospective date when there's a match made—however, the Chinese Bilin app lets you call another user instead of exchanging text-based messages.
On Bilin, if you see a person's profile that you're interested in, you can send them a message. With their approval, you'll then be able to make calls to them during a 24-hour period. Even with pictures and entertaining profiles, online dating can be quite impersonal and this app at least lets you hear the other person's voice. It's almost being able to go on a speed date, since a quick chat should indicate if you might click just as well in person.
Bilin reportedly now has over 20 million registered users and a total of 10 million minutes have been used. The success of the dating app will likely continue, as the app just received $15 million in funding.
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Voice-calling Dating Apps
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop a dating app that prioritizes voice calling over text-based messages to enhance personal connections and speed up the matching process.
- Impersonal Dating Experiences
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a dating service that aims to reduce the impersonal nature of online dating through features like voice or video introductions.
- Speed Dating-inspired Matching
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design a dating platform that incorporates elements of speed dating to help users quickly assess compatibility and potential connection.
Sectors Adopting This
- Online Dating
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Reinvent the online dating industry by integrating more personal communication methods and concepts from offline dating experiences.
- Mobile App Development
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop cutting-edge mobile apps that revolutionize the online dating landscape with novel features and improved user experiences.
- Venture Capital
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Invest in innovative dating app startups that offer unique approaches to foster more meaningful connections in the online dating market.
