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{{Close Relationships}}

'''Mobile dating''' services, also known as '''cell dating''', '''cellular dating''', or '''cell phone dating''', allow individuals to chat, [[flirt]], meet, and possibly become romantically involved by means of [[short message service|text messaging]], mobile chatting, and the [[mobile web]].

These services allow their users to provide information about themselves in a short profile which is either stored in their phones as a dating ID or as a username on the mobile dating site. They can then search for other IDs online or by calling a certain phone number dictated by the service. The criteria include age, gender and sexual preference. Usually these sites are free to use but standard text messaging fees may still apply as well as a small fee the dating service charges per message.

Mobile dating websites, in order to increase the opportunities for meeting, focus attention on users that share the same social network and proximity. Some companies even offer services such as ''homing devices'' to alert users when another user is within thirty feet of one another.<ref name="sfgate">{{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/23/BUGKMDSB4P1.DTL  |title=Hey, baby, want a date? |first= Ryan |last= Kim |date=July 23, 2005 |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |access-date=June 15, 2010}}</ref>  Some systems involve [[Bluetooth|bluetooth technology]] to connect users in locations such as bars and clubs. This is known as proximity dating. These systems are actually more popular in some countries in Europe and Asia than online dating. With the advent of [[GPS Phone]]s and [[GSM localization]], proximity dating is likely to rise sharply in popularity.{{update-inline |date=March 2023 |reason=The sources cited earlier in this paragraph are from nearly 20 years ago. GPS and GSM are no longer exciting new technologies.}}

According to The San Francisco Chronicle in 2005, "Mobile dating is the next big leap in online socializing."<ref name="sfgate" /> More than 3.6 million cell phone users logged into mobile dating sites in March 2007,<ref name="globemail">[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070711.wgtcelldate11/BNStory/PersonalTech/home Love is just a  cellphone away], Globe and Mail, July 11, 2007</ref> with most users falling between the ages of 27-35.

Some experts{{Who|date=May 2021}} believe that the rise in mobile dating is due to the growing popularity of online dating. Others believe it is all about choice, as Joe Brennan Jr., vice president of Webdate says, "It's about giving people a choice. They don't have to date on their computer. They can date on their handset, it's all about letting people decide what path is best for them."<ref name="sfgate" /> A study published in 2015 showed that 7.8 million singles per month in the UK were searching for a partner online, which was a significant increase from 2011 (6.3 million). This increase is allegedly caused by Mobile Dating due to current social dating services like Tinder or Badoo, which allow people to quickly make new contacts on the go.<ref name="UK´s Leading Dating Sites">[http://www.leadingdatingsites.co.uk/uploads/onlinedating-market-uk-2015.pdf], The Online Dating Market in the UK 2014-2015, October 14, 2015</ref>

The rise of mobile dating and in particular, dating app Tinder has changed the way people meet potential partners and date. Some believe that the proliferation of such apps has fueled modern dating behaviors.<ref name="Has Tinder Replaced dating with hookup culture?">[https://edition.cnn.com/2015/08/18/opinions/robbins-tinder-online-dating], Has Tinder replaced dating with hookup culture?, August 18, 2015</ref>

==Drawbacks==
Some avoid these services for fear that the technology could be used to electronically harass users.<ref name="icstis">[http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/publications/cop/default.asp Phone Play Plus Code of practice] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312011204/http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/publications/cop/default.asp |date=2008-03-12 }}, Ref: 7.3 (Virtual Chat services) and 7.4 (Contact and Dating services), October, 2007</ref> Another issue is "asymmetry of interests", i.e. an attractive user receives excessive attention from other users and leaves, which may result in deterioration of membership.<ref name="databt">[http://dating.about.com/od/mobiledating/fr/crushorflush.htm Mobile Dating Review] Crush or Flush Mobile Dating Review, March, 2008</ref> At the 2012 iDate Mobile Dating Conference, the first ever consumer focus group for mobile dating apps unanimously reiterated the same complaints from years prior.

All participants had some concerns about risk. These concerns varied between participants and included physical, emotional and sexual risks, the risk of being scammed, the risk of encountering dangerous and dodgy people, the risk of pregnancy, risks to family and the risk of lies and deceit. To counter these risks, participants undertook various activities that made use of the technological resources available to them and also assessed how others did or did not use technology.<ref>Couch, Danielle; Liamputtong, Pranee; Pitts, Marian (2011).  “Online Daters and the Use of Technology for Surveillance and Risk Management”.  International Journal of Emerging Technologies & Society 9 (2): p116-134.</ref>

An issue amplified by dating apps is a phenomenon known as '[[Ghosting (relationships)|ghosting]]', whereby one party in a relationship cuts off all communication with the other party without warning or explanation. Ghosting poses a serious problem for dating apps as it can lead to users deleting the apps. For this reason companies like [[Bumble (app)|Bumble]] and [[Badoo]] are cracking down on the practice with new features that make it easier for users to end chat conversations more politely.

Entering a different era with many technological advancements a "[[technosexual]] era", we also enter a different era of dating more "sexualized".<ref name="Chamoro-Premuzic">{{cite web|last1=Chamorro-Premuzic|first1=Tomas|title=The Tinder effect: psychology of dating in the technosexual era|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/jan/17/tinder-dating-psychology-technosexual|website=The Guardian|language=en-GB|date=17 January 2014}}</ref>

==Mobile dating market==
{{original research|section|date=March 2014}}
Mobile dating began to take shape in 2003.<ref name="mobiledatinghistory">[http://visual.ly/history-mobile-dating] History of Mobile Dating Infographic</ref> ProxiDating was one of the first dating services using Bluetooth. In 2004 [[Match.com]], Webdate and Lavalife were the mobile dating early leaders. It wasn't until the [[iPhone]] arrived in 2007 that mobile dating took off. 2010 was the year mobile dating becoming mainstream. Starting from 2012, mobile dating has been gradually overtaking online dating. Match.com and POF.com<ref name="datinginmobileworld">[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-spira/online-dating_b_1674878.html] Dating in Mobile World Article, Huffington Post</ref> now see over 40% of their log-ins coming from mobile phones. The mobile dating market is expected to grow to $1.4B by 2013.{{update-inline |date=March 2023 |reason=2013 was a decade ago}}<ref name="techcrunch">[https://techcrunch.com/2009/01/19/juniper-research-theres-money-in-mobile-dating-services/ Juniper Research Report Summary on TechCrunch] Juniper Research Report Summary on TechCrunch</ref>

3G Dating is emerging as 3G networks and Video Mobiles become more widespread.{{update-inline |date=March 2023 |reason=3G is no longer emerging. In fact it is now clearly obsolete.}} The potential for one-to-one video calling offers additional safety and helps ensures members are real.

In the dating market, both online dating sites are adding mobile web versions and applications to phones.  Some sites are offered as mobile only for Phones and Pads, with no access to web versions.

Mobile dating apps market is estimated to be worth $2.1 billion".<ref>{{cite web|title=Dating apps strengthen and diversify to pull in huge user numbers — Red Herring|url=http://www.redherring.com/mobile/dating-apps-strengthen-diversify-pull-huge-user-numbers/|website=Red Herring|date=20 March 2015|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2013 there was "exponential growth" of dating websites creating apps and dating apps being used through a mobile device.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mobile apps tap the changing face of online dating|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/13/online-dating-mobile-apps/1902011/|website=USA TODAY}}</ref> [[Tinder (app)|Tinder]] has been up to par competing in this market "as of October 2014, the app has more than fifty million users" and also it is valued "anywhere from $750 million to $1 billion".
<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ansari|first1=Aziz|last2=Klinenberg|first2=Eric|title=Modern Romance|year=2015|publisher=Penguin Press|isbn=9781594206276|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Online dating applications]]
* [[Online dating service]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links==
*[https://techcrunch.com/2009/01/19/juniper-research-theres-money-in-mobile-dating-services/ Tech Crunch Article on Mobile Dating Market]
*[https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2007/dec/06/digitalvideo.mobilephones Dating moves from the PC to the mobile]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101228182810/http://www.ericsson.com/ericsson/corpinfo/publications/telecomreport/archive/2008/love/article2.shtml Mobile Dating Report]
*[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1475415/Video-dating-can-be-great-but-you-have-to-find-the-right-signals.html Mobile Video Dating can be great but you have to find the right signals]
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{{Mobile phones}}

[[Category:Online dating]]
[[Category:Online chat]]
[[Category:Mobile telecommunications]]