Bumble has updated its dating application to allow any user, including men, to send the first message in heterosexual matches, TechCrunch reported. The platform also expanded the deadline for message recipients to respond from 24 hours to 72 hours before matches expire.
Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd stated that being women-first was never about prescribing a single way to connect, describing the update as a realization of the app's founding vision. Internal survey data from Bumble showed that 66 percent of women reported a preference for men to make the first move. The company noted that connections are often lost because users are busier than ever, leading to missed timing rather than a lack of romantic interest.
Messaging rules and earnings
During feature testing, Bumble recorded an increase in total chat initiations and a more equal distribution of opening messages between men and women. If a user attempts to send a low-effort opener such as a single word, the application now prompts them to craft a more thoughtful message before sending. The change follows the release of "Opening Moves" two years ago, a feature that allowed men to start conversations by answering prompt questions.
Wolfe Herd first disclosed the upcoming redesign during Bumble's financial earnings report, which showed continuing declines in both revenue and paying subscribers. The update alters the core rule Bumble established at its 2014 launch, when it exclusively empowered women to initiate contact in heterosexual pairings to challenge outdated social norms.
