Tinder is rushing a live video feature so you can virtually date in the pandemic

Tinder is adding one-on-one video chats later this year.

Match Group, the company that owns Tinder, announced the feature in its earnings release on 5 May. Little information is known at this point. However, it'll be one of Tinder's biggest feature updates in years. The move makes sense with the coronavirus pandemic, as users are likely wanting a way to swipe and then chat with people over video if they can't date in person.

"Social distancing has required adaptations and pivots and has impacted our business because the manner in which singles engage with our products and start relationships has quickly evolved. We know that singles are adjusting their behaviors, and many are shifting to having dates virtually via phone or video," explained Match Group in a press release (PDF).

The company, which owns other online dating platforms such as Hinge, OK Cupid, and Plenty of Fish, told investors that 70% of Hinge users said they're open to a phone or video date, while 94%of users said they plan to continue dating virtually. Its product and engineering teams are therefore working quickly to deploy one-to-one video chat capabilities in many of its platforms.

It even accelerated the rollout live-streaming video on Plenty of Fish, and claimed adoption rates have thus far "exceeded" its expectations. Since Tinder remains one of its most popular apps, Match Group said it now plans to launch "one-to-one live video" late in the second quarter.

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