We exist in the age of infinite scroll, auto-play and subscription services. Everything is continuous and unlimited. With endless options, we often find ourselves lost. But as the instant gratification generation, we don’t want to have to wait.
However, while we see the immediacy of instant messaging, social media and virtual encounters as a virtue, it can actually be detrimental to our relationships – and to the relationships we want to build. Like an overbearing guest at a dinner party, the internet has taken the idea of dating and made it all about itself.
“Dating” and “online dating” are almost one and the same. Online interactions can feel cold, awkward and anonymous – inherently impersonal. But that’s not to say that the solution to the problem isn’t a technical one. By allowing you to find people you’ve crossed paths with, dating app happn brought digital dating into the real world.
This fusion of online and offline made the experience exciting again and brought with it a new sense of authenticity. However, now the app has released See You There – a game-changing feature that allows users to invite people with similar interests to take part in an activity.
By providing an “availability” button and a number of activities, the feature allows you to tell others what you’ll be up to, thus creating connections based on mutual interests as well as location. Happn’s founder Diddier Rappaport explains:
“As society evolves and becomes more mobile, the dating industry has transformed to focus on encounters, pushing dating apps to become more social in their offering.
“Our new ‘See You There’ feature is an extension of this, enabling people to meet like-minded individuals by encouraging them to go offline and share an activity they are both interested in.”
The feature solves the conundrum of how to take an online connection offline. Due to commitments, complications or even just the awkwardness of small talk and the ambiguity of written messages, relationships often fizzle out before they have even begun.
However, as a chosen activity will only be visible to other happn users on your timeline for four hours, See You There provides a limited time window in which to seize the opportunity – doing away with the days, weeks or months of toing and froing.
Happn allows you to a chance to form a meaningful connection with someone who has passed within 800 ft of you. It was created as an alternative to “hook up” apps and provides a way of getting in touch with someone you’ve already crossed paths with in real life. Founder Diddier Rappaport explains:
“We have never promised people will find in love on Happn because we believe people are free to do what they want. The most important thing is for people to meet, and then if they want to find love, have sex, have friends, it’s up to them.”
One could argue that the need to feel connected has actually caused us to become disconnected – and that dating is indeed becoming too virtual. However, as is often the case, the solution is to innovate. Digital dating is here to say. It’s up to you how you do it.
Check out the new feature and download happn for free: it’s available on the iPhone, Android and Windows phone.
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