Hyderabad: According to Tinder’s Year in Swipe 2021, Hyderabad reigned supreme as the chattiest video dating city. This year, video calls were used for more first dates than ever before, with Tinder seeing a 52 percent increase in mentions of video chats internationally. The dating app had added an in-app video call option, which debuted in India in October 2020 and proved to be a huge success.
Tinder’s Year in Swipe 2021 has collected statistics from 1 January to 30 November 2021, and its largest user base is Gen Z (18-25-year-olds). The online dating site also compared statistics from the previous year during the same time period.
Video calls were a hit
The year 2021 was all about getting online, and the dating industry was no exception. In recent years, video dating has grown in popularity, with Hyderabad being the chattiest city, followed by Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Pune. Generation Z enjoys both internet meet-cutes and real-life dates after vaccinations.
According to Tinder‘s Year in Swipe 2021, real-life hangouts haven’t gone out of style. People also sought connections in their immediate vicinity. Terms like “nearby” and “close by” climbed by 20% in Tinder bios worldwide.
‘Vaccinated’ in bios
The vaccination status has become a bit of a stretch on Tinder. Between February and August 2021, as vaccination programmes advanced locally, references of “vaccinated” in bios in India increased by 40 times as members campaigned for vaccine status as a dating need. Among Indian GenZs, the immunised badge was also popular.
First date in the park and a long walk
This year, when it came to dates, there was a lot of interest in selecting out alternative first dates. Long walks, along with other interests like cycling and pottery, were a major hit with Tinder users, who witnessed a two-fold rise in bios. “A virtual movie night” and “a picnic in the park” were the most popular selections among Tinder users in India.
Music is the top interest
AP Dhillon’s ‘Brown Munde’ and Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Lover’ were also chart-toppers in Tinder bios in 2021, closely followed by Indian Punjabi favourites like Rodgrio’s ‘good4u’ and Kid Laroi’s and Justin Bieber’s ‘Stay.’
Small actions that would enhance someone’s day, such as “bringing them coffee” or “complimenting their clothing,” were another popular subject among Indian GenZ.
Popular emoji side-eye and black heart
In terms of emojis used in Tinder bios, the side-eye emoji has seen a 40% rise in usage internationally this year. Meanwhile, the black heart and smiling emoticons were the most popular among Indian GenZ.