Peanut, a social networking app designed for women, is adding a video chat feature to help its users connect amid quarantine guidelines Granted, the feature arrived quite late, but it just made the app better for those who want to remain closer to their BFFs.
Peanut started off with a focus on motherhood, but it eventually evolved to cater to a wide range of topics, including marriage, pregnancy, parenthood, and menopause. The coronavirus outbreak contributed to a spike in usage, with a reported 40% rise in content consumption and a 30% growth in user engagement.
Upon its launch, Peanut was often compared to Tinder because of its similar matching-type format. And it's not surprising why the app launched as so. Its founder and CEO, Michell Kennedy, was the former deputy CEO of Badoo and one of Bumble's inaugural board members.
As with other dating apps, Peanut uses swiping for a user to match up with other members. Before COVID-19 struck the whole world, many women used the app to connect to other women in nearby places and arrange friendly dates or set playdates for their kids. But after lockdowns were imposed to curb the spread of the virus, users have been looking for a way to connect virtually, the company said.
Requests for video chatting features to be added on Peanut rose by 700% and to meet this demand, the company eventually gave in. Now its members can now communicate face-to-face and grow their friendships even more despite restrictions.
Peanut believes it's an important time to be rolling out video chatting features as many have been experiencing anxiety and depression due to forced isolation. Through video chat, women will have a platform to do the activities they once enjoyed doing, albeit virtually.
While quarantine guidelines have been relaxed in some areas, the addition of the feature is proof that Peanut is open for improvements, meaning the app will only get better in the future.
The new video chatting feature should work for users already connected with each other. From this, they can already share photos, GIFs, and texts. A new button has been added to start a video call. The feature is made possible by an undisclosed third-party.
Sometime in the near future, Peanut will add a group video chat feature, which is all the rage these days. As for the one-on-one video call, its rollout is scheduled today, June 18.
