Social giant Tencent has launched a new video-based matchmaking service dubbed Huanyu, or “Happy Meetup” in Chinese, which allows users to open public live streaming rooms to increase their chances to match with other viewers, local tech-focused media TechPlanet reported.
Tencent expects to further entrench its presence in the matchmaking business banking on the 5G technology, only weeks after launching a Tinder-style platform called Qingliao. The firm, owner of super app WeChat, has been continually presenting new offerings, such as real-name social networking app Pengyou, anonymous social app Dengyu Jiaoyou, and at least another four social networking apps, KrASIA reported.
Unlike Qingliao, Huanyu narrows its focus on people who intend to enter into marriage. On the user profile, the app requires its users to describe the person they’re looking for in terms of age range, minimal income, and region. Users also have to complete personal information including height, weight, age, income, job, marriage status, and hometown.
Currently, Huanyu seems to be bare-bones and only a few functions are provided. Users can open live-streaming rooms to interact with viewers, and two users can then start a private conversation only when they follow each other. However, when KrASIA tested the app, there were no live-streaming rooms available. The app is currently only available for android device users.
According to the TechPlanet report, video chat dating is expected to be a hotly competitive space when 5G technology will enable stronger networkability. Tencent’s move in the matchmaking sector will face competition from some established online-dating platforms like Jiayuan.com, Baihe.com, and Zhenai.com, which all provide similar video chat features to improve daters’ odds to success.
This year, Zhenai.com conducted a survey on Chinese single youngsters. The results revealed that more than one-third of interviewees had been single for at least three years. Will this be a new niche market for Tencent?