FINALLY: Hinge is introducing voice memos and prompts, so you can make sure your date doesn’t sound like a dying cat before you head out for a drink.
From today, voice prompts will allow Hinge users to upload a 30-second voice recording, answering a prompt like “my best celebrity impression”. I really hope this means people might be a bit more creative with their responses, rather than just saying you like “drinking wine” and “eating tacos”. BORING.
Hinge has also introduced voice notes, which function the same way as voice memos. Now, I don’t know about you but since the pandemic has begun, I’ve been sending a fuck-tonne more voice memos and I love it. It’s the perfect balance of a call and a text, and it’s fairly low effort. No need to craft a whole paragraph to get your point across, and no need to waste an hour on the phone beating around the bush. The voice memo is communication gold.
(Imagine sending the above as a voice memo though).
With voice notes I can get more of a vibe of the other person and vice versa. Because I’ll be honest, tone gets lost on dating apps and it’s very easy to come across cold/or too keen through messages. I know I’m a blunt texter, but those who know me understand all my emotion comes across in the way I speak.
A voice message doesn’t leave any room to second guess a “k” from an “okay”. The intent is clear through tone.
The other hidden benefit of voice messages is ~chemistry~. A recent Hinge study found 75% of users said assessing chemistry is one of the hardest parts of modern dating, but 65% of Hinge singles also indicated hearing someone’s voice would help them determine interest in a match.
I agree, speaking to someone on the phone can actually bring about chemistry that might not have otherwise been there over message. With most matches on dating apps, you kind of have to go on a date to figure out if there’s chemistry. Voice messages are a less strenuous way of figuring it out.
My Hinge has been on pause for the duration of the latest Melb lockdown because the thought of going on a walking date makes me want to projectile vomit. But this new voice feature has convinced me to give dating apps another red hot crack.
