Bumble just added another way to grow your social circle.
The company behind the popular online dating and networking application recently launched its new standalone app to help people find new friends online.
This new app is the standalone spin-off of Bumble's BFF (Bumble for Friends) branch, which was formerly one of Bumble's three branches; the other two are Date and Bizz (for networking purposes).
Bumble For Friends Standalone App Details
Bumble mentioned that it has officially released its new standalone app Bumble For Friends, a dedicated friend-finding app for creating connections with people in one's area, per the app's FAQ page.
Bumble advertises the app as a way to make friends online when someone recently moved into a new city, looking for anyone with the same hobbies, or just wanting a new person to talk to.
Despite the app's friend-finding feature, people under the age of 18 can't use Bumble For Friends. However, people who had their accounts blocked for being underage by accident may reach out to Bumble's Support team to fix the issue.
Much like Instagram's Threads, Bumble with Friends allows Bumble users to sign in to the dedicated friend-finding app easily. Unlike Threads, though, insterested users who don't have a Bumble account can sign up for the app.
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After signing up or into the app, users can connect their other social media profiles to Bumble For Friends to complete their profile. These include Instagram and Spotify. Users can also sign up for the app through Apple Sign or Facebook if they so wish.
Once signed in, new users will be asked to start building their profile - the company believes a complete profile is the key to more meaningful connections. As such, Bumble encourages users to "let [their personality] shine through" their profile.
Much like Bumble's dating app (and other dating apps for that matter), users can swipe through potential friends and take their time to check out their profiles properly. Once they found a match, they can find common ground with them, which could lead the other person on the line to be their friend, roommate, or workout buddy.
The app is available in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Philippines in the mean time and can be downloaded on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for free.
Who Will Benefit From The App?
Mashable mentioned in its report that people who have trouble finding and making friends - especially after the COVID-19 pandemic - would highly benefit from the app. According to a statement from Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, having a dedicated friend-finding app like Bumble For Friends makes the process of finding and making friends easier for those looking to make meaningful platonic connections in their area.
"People are more open to making friends online than ever before," Herd added. "In fact, in a recent Bumble For Friends survey, over a third of Gen Z respondents in the UK shared that making new friends online lessened their loneliness."
Speaking of Gen Z, a study with 2,000 UK adults as respondents found that almost half (47%) of UK adults aged 18-24 believe that platonic relationships are more important than romantic relationships. However, the rouble is finding people worth making platonic relationships with - 44% of adults find it difficult to make friends, while 28% of them have difficulties approaching people in person.
Meanwhile, 67% of Gen Z Americans surveyed in a study said that making new friends online lessened their loneliness.
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