The recent rise of dating apps such as Badoo has resulted in more people finding love (or at the very least, a casual relationship) - and for that, we have technology to thank. The advances in the tech industry have no doubt enabled the dating world to move forward and revolutionise. But what does the future of dating hold? These are the rumours we've heard so far...
Virtual reality dating will be the norm
Granted, some of these rumours are more wild than others: take, for example, the one about virtual reality dating. Currently, we have the option to do video chat dating (which has already proved popular with Badoo's 370 million users), but apparently, in the years to come, we could be sitting in actual VR booths chatting to potential love-interests from all over the world. In theory, we'll be hooked up to headsets that will let us travel to wherever we imagine to have the perfect first date. Innovative, or just plain weird? We'll let you decide...
Artificial intelligence will find your perfect partner
Another popular theory is that dating apps will move from having users swipe left or right to match a potential love interest, to just simply matching people based on their internet activity, interests and previous dating history. Ultimately, the more that technology and artificial intelligence advances, the more capable apps will be of matching people to the right person straight off the bat.
People will go back to old-fashioned dating
Another rumour is that things will come full circle and people will start to meet in real life again. Yes, that means you might have to pluck up the courage to approach someone at a bar or restaurant, or nag all of your friends to introduce you to their work colleagues or cousins. We know, scary!
Online dating will become safer
If there's one thing about the future of dating that we're excited about, it's added safety and privacy features for women. Badoo are one of the dating apps who are championing this feature: they have verified accounts which prove that the people you're talking to online are actually real people, video chat features and a 'request a selfie' feature, where users can request a picture from the person they're talking to, again to confirm that they are who they say they are. All of these add extra layers of security for users, as well as acting as effective ways to screen out people quickly. After all, time is money.
Chat, date and meet new people on Badoo. Download the dating app here.