by Claire Dalton

The COVID-19 global pandemic has brought a seismic shift to every aspect of human life — including how we find love. 

Searching for a soulmate or a more casual encounter on-screen has historically allowed users to not only present themselves through a curated, considered profile but also to vet potential partners ahead of the inevitable meet up — thus avoiding any social awkwardness. Dating online is nothing new but no one could have predicted the 2020 surge in interest from those searching for love while sheltering in place.

The big players reacted by rolling out video date features, while in-app video chats swiftly replaced in-person dates. As Zoom sessions exhausted the workforce, singles embraced this new world.

Feeld, a sex-positive platform, offered a ‘stay at home’ room with options that included ‘Remote Trios’ and ‘Fantasy Bunker’ (for those ‘ready to skip the small talk’). The Intro, a UK-based startup, introduced a 30-minute kick-out timer option — recognising that excuses are infinitely more difficult to find when everyone is at home.

“Coming from previously hosting lots of physical events, we experimented with recreating these natural meetings and ‘slow-dating’ events in a virtual space,” says Philip Jonzon Jarl, co-founder of Relate, a Swedish start-up. 

Relate aims to ‘help people into more conscious and meaningful relationships'. The app provides matches centred on deeper, personal values and the company extends to support users with podcasts hosted by relationship experts; psychologist-led workshops (Relate Love Lab) and most recently Relate Boost — a new arm focused on relationship development for couples. Their own values include the advice to ‘trust and hug each other’, so how does this work in an altered post-COVID world?

“I think the pandemic has accelerated trends around authenticity and intentionality in dating and starting a new relationship. There is a higher level of self-awareness today where we are more conscious of what we want in life and who we enter a relationship with. There is also a stronger thirst for real authenticity. Many of the apps that rule our digital attention today such as Tinder and Instagram can feel quite superficial and I think people are tired of this. As humans, we are wired to want to feel a connection and belonging to others and I think the apps that can help create this feeling are the ones that will succeed in the future.”

As we speculate on what life will be like in a post-COVID landscape, one thing seems certain — the future of virtual dating seems bright.