OkCupid’s Latest Updates Offer Location-based Dating

A couple of years ago, Grindr began to offer services that shocked many monogamous straight people to death.

The ‘infamous’ iPhone app allowed gay guys to meet each other using GPS and Bluetooth, and locate men who were also looking for a hook-up nearby. It was like a well kept secret until now, as OkCupid has begun to offer similar location-based services to everyone starting from last week. OkCupid is an Android and iPhone app that lets people to date based on their location. Their mobile app is now updated with 3 new features that would include Broadcasts, Locals and notifications. ‘Broadcasts’ allow you to let your best matches know that you are free at the moment and are looking for a date.

You could upload photos to attract more attention, and it works the other way as well. Whoever has been ‘broadcasting’ about their availability, you could choose to contact them if they are near you. ‘Locals’ offers you matches within a radius of 25 and 500 miles. When you choose someone, that person would be notified. Finally, the third update to the mobile app is that OkCupid lets you know when there is a suitable date nearby. Of course, there are several dating apps including HowAboutWe, which is a new iPhone app that lets people plan interesting dates with strangers.

The key word here is plan, and most dating apps offered to straight people are usually ‘planned’ and random hook-ups were possible mostly on apps like Grindr, which targeted gay men. OkCupid does not make such discrimination and is open to everyone, regardless of their gender and 9orientation. While many people have already begun to argue that it would let stalkers have a free run chasing you, reality is something different.

OkCupid might just let you meet people for hook-ups or otherwise, or for serious dates when you are free, and that when you have not planned to meet someone. The spur-of-the-moment quality of the OkCupid app makes it attractive, intriguing and brings Grindr-like meeting strategies to a more mainstream audience. If you are the adventurous (read promiscuous-types), do take a look at Doctor Who’s Companions, and you might begin to feel envious of your own exploits.