Tinder makes a move: Dating app may add a Snapchat-like video feature

By Keith Nelson Jr. February 16, 2017

tinder snapchat wheel video news — Image used with permission by copyright holder

You may soon be able to see a video of someone before you decide if you want to swipe right. Tinder recently acquired collaborative video messaging app Wheel.

According to reports, Tinder plans to add video features to the app, but no further details have been offered. Wheel co-founder Paul Boukadakis, along with Wheel employees, will join the Tinder team. Boukadakis told Business Insider the two companies plan on “bringing people together to create.”

The way Wheel works is simple: Users upload videos, usually with a theme spelled out in the title and people are able to add to the story. Users add to the story by filming themselves and uploading it to the thread. There is no option for direct messaging between users like on Snapchat, but Wheel’s best features are clearly derivative of the popular social media platform.

Wheel’s story feature is similar to Snapchat’s Live Stories, which are a collection of user videos surrounding a specific theme, chosen by Snapchat. Wheel also features a discover tab similar to Snapchat. But, instead of discovering video content from media publishers, Wheel’s discover tab is a curated list of select user content.

Tinder has been working its way toward adding more collaboration to the app. Last summer, the app introduced Tinder Social, a new feature which allows groups of people to connect with other groups planning to go out. That figures to be the best place for Wheel integration. Instead of pictures and text explaining how much fun you and your group of friends plan to have that night, a short video could suffice as well.

Wheel could also help make Tinder users more secure in their online dating conquests. Last summer, online dating app Badoo allowed its users to upload videos in an effort to weed out fake profiles and people with misleading photos. Anyone who has swiped right and wished they swiped left after meeting someone who looks nothing like their Tinder profile can understand how important video is to online dating.

Wheel is available for iOS devices here.

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Keith Nelson Jr.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Keith Nelson Jr is a music/tech journalist making big pictures by connecting dots. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY he…

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