A new D.C.-local dating app rolling out nationwide today is promising something new for those tired of swiping photos: video chat dates.
A lot of dating apps promise a new experience. But Spin The Bottle, as the new app is called, might actually come through on that promise. Here's how it works: open the app and play a game of spin the bottle with locals in your area. The app then brings you into a 30-second video chat with whomever the bottle lands on, and you can decide if you want to keep talking to them from within the app based on that interaction.
And don't worry. Spin The Bottle uses facial recognition software to ensure that you only see someone's face during the video chat. This isn't Chatroulette.
It's worth noting that for Spin the Bottle to be effective, there have to be enough people online in the area who are currently also using the app, instead of other dating apps that let matches happen offline. And the app pulls you from your ongoing messages with matches to play the spin the bottle game, making multi-tasking in this app difficult, if not impossible.
However, the founders say the demand is there. Despite an initial idea of launching in one city at a time, the app's creators found that their user base was getting restless with the waitlist. So they just went ahead and launched nationwide. They debuted in New York City in beta in late September and officially in early November. One founder lives in New York, while the other two, Drew Stanton and Nishant Patel, live in the DMV.
Right now, 80 percent of its users are 18-30-years-old
"We believe that live video is the next evolution of dating apps," said co-founder Drew Stanton in an email statement. "What is the next logical step after typical text messaging and looking at pictures? Live video, of course. And what better way to meet up than playing the world wide known game of Spin the Bottle?"
Take a look at the app for yourself:
Image courtesy of Spin The Bottle
