Thanks to advances in technology and the force that is Apple, it’s hard to imagine going so much as an hour without our mobile devices glued to us. In today’s world we rely on our phones for connecting with friends, searching movie times and even cashing checks…basically everything short of cooking our own meals for us. Because of this, gone are the days of getting spruced up in your best ensemble and heading out on the town in hopes of a love-at-first sight encounter with some exotic stranger…now, it looks like the latest trend in dating is heading straight for your phone.
What is mobile dating? For singles on the go, mobile dating services provide their users with cell phone apps equipped with tools like text messaging and mobile chatting to get to know, flirt, meet and possibly develop a romantic connection with a fellow single that might even lead to a long-term, committed relationship…or at least a cocktail after a long day of work.
How does it work? On the apps, which use smartphone location technology, users post a profile and then broadcast their availability, or scan a list of others who have done the same. These dating services focus attention on users that share the same social network and proximity, even offering alerts when another user is within the area. Users can immediately send messages to one another, and if there is mutual interest over phone lines, a meeting can be set up. Most mobile dating apps are free, but you will find that standard texting fees may still apply. The way these companies make money is by selling ads or selling their customers extra features.
How popular is it? With over 1.3 billion mobile phone users across the world, in the arena of mobile apps, the most popular category is gaming followed by social media (where mobile dating falls). The mobile dating site, AreYouInterested.com, conducted a survey where research revealed from more than 50,000 people some interesting facts…
• Nearly 600 online dating profiles are viewed each minute on AreYouInterested.com with the average person looking at over 20 profiles a day.
• 47 percent of users are between the ages of 18 and 25.
• The average user sends about 5 messages a day to mobile interests and an estimated 9 conversations are started each minute.
• The most active cities in the world for mobile singles are New York, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne and Hong Kong.
• The industry of mobile dating is expected to grow to nearly $1.4 billion by the year 2013.
• It was discovered that 80 percent of the people surveyed prefer mobile dating over online dating sites.
Why mobile date? Mobile dating is viewed by users as a casual way to interact with fellow singles…those surveyed by AreYouInterested.com confirmed that with mobile dating, much of the pressure and awkwardness of an elaborately planned traditional date is eliminated.
Fans of mobile dating services say they also like them because the mobile services are updated versions of internet dating sites. Most dating apps come free of charge as opposed to online dating services who charge a monthly membership fee for their users. Another interesting reason for this preference is because about 60 percent of people subscribed to AreYouInterested.com have the notion that their chances are better for “hooking up” through a mobile dating app than on a website.
Who offers these apps? Some of the mobile dating apps are stand-alone and others are extensions of reputable online dating sites. The most used mobile dating apps include AreYouInterested, Blendr, OkCupid Locals and HowAboutWe. eHarmony released a mobile dating service in August 2011 called Jazzed that has been downloaded more than 250,000 times since then and is still gaining popularity.
Guest post author, Cindy McDonald, enjoys writing about the latest trends in technology. In addition, Cindy also writes for Catholic Singles Dating Sites where she offers her tips on safe online dating for Catholics.

