A new Chicago-based dating app wants to give singles just enough technology to find a mate, but not so much that you're spending more time in the app than you are meeting people in person.
helloTruly, an app founded by father-and-son team Andy and Jack Kenoe, describes itself as a "digital icebreaker" that focuses on connecting people in physical spaces (coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc.). The free iOS and Android app uses push notifications to alert a person when another helloTruly user is in the same location and matches their set preferences.
The app doesn't let you browse profiles of users who aren't in your location (you only reveal your full profile to others by "checking in" at your venue), and you can't chat with people in the app. The only active communication between users is a digital "wave," which lets the person in the room know that you're interested. The app also shows a "hot spots screen" to let you know nearby venues that have been recently popular with helloTruly users.
By working largely in the background, helloTruly can be a "set it and forget it" app, said father Andy Kenoe.
"Users who are interested in meeting those nearby are encouraged, actually compelled, to put down their phones and say hello in person," he said. "You can' wave,' but after that one wave you’re on your own. It's the way we work as an icebreaker. We don’t allow ongoing communication."
That's what Kenoe thinks will set helloTruly apart. No constant streams of messages, no swiping left or right, and no matches based on lengthy questionnaires and dating algorithms. Just two app users with related interests in the same place at the same time.
But launching a dating app in 2016 certainly comes with challenges. With several dozen, if not hundreds, of competitors, breaking through the noise and acquiring users will be an uphill battle. Not to mention that fact that most smartphone users download zero apps per month.
But research shows dating apps are more popular than ever. More than a quarter of US adults between 18-24 have tried online dating, and in people ages 55-64 digital dating rates have doubled in the last two years from 6% to 12%, according to the Pew Research Center.
helloTruly thinks there's enough demand for dating apps that it can find a place on people's phones, and by making in-person connections the goal, it's different enough to stand out.
"We don’t need to go up against Tinder or say 'drop Match.' All we need to be, and what we really are, is the only true icebreaker singles can add to their existing dating tool chest," Kenoe said.
Image via helloTruly
