You'd think the world already has its fill of online dating apps, but no, there's still room for more. Case in point: Bumble, whose CEO has just become a billionaire.
Bumble Inc. sold shares in its upcoming trading debut at $43, making Chief Executive Officer Whitney Wolfe Herd's stake more than $900 million and boosting her overall fortune over $1 billion.
But what really is Bumble, and what makes it not your ordinary dating app?
Women take charge of the conversation
It's up to the woman to send the first message. This feature was designed to encourage women to make the first move, to give them more control over the app, and to keep them from being bombarded by men's messages.
The match ends after 24 hours, but men can extend the window for an additional 24 hours if they pay a fee.
It's not just for dating
The app also has tools to help you locate friends and connect. By flipping the app to BFF mode, the user will be presented with individuals of the same sex that Bumble feels will make a nice friendship.
Bumble Bizz helps users to network and develop their careers.
Bumble is not just for heterosexual couples
The app doesn't need you to describe your sexuality. It asks if you're interested in men, women, or both. If your choice is not a female/male match, the app would allow either user to send a message first.
The profile can be verified
Bumble has a feature to verify the daters by making them take a photo of a specific gesture to show that they are. The app then adds a checkmark to the profile to indicate possible matches that they're real people.
It's to keep Internet bots and users from catfishing others.
It has an unsolicited d**k pic sensor
An AI called 'Private Detector' has been created to counter sexual harassment that has plagued dating apps for years.
The AI is taught to scan pictures sent to chats for signs of lewd imagery, and both blur them and warn them if they're too offensive.
The photo will be blurred, with a note below that reads, "This photo is blurred to protect you from inappropriate content." Recipients can opt to block and report the photo if they wish or open it anyway.
How much is Bumble?
Bumble is a free online dating service that allows you to buy an upgraded membership. You can decide between Bumble Premium and Bumble Boost.
Depending on the level you move to, Bumble can cost anything from $8 a week to $33 a month. There's also a $199.99 "lifetime" subscription.
