OkCupid Introduces Quickmatch Flavors As An Alternative To Mindless Swiping

Whether for better or for worse, online dating has come a long way since the days of eHarmony and Match.com. Now structured like carpal tunnel-inducing games, most connections made on apps and sites are founded on surface-level attraction and aesthetics. It's inevitable that this whole mentality will switch or evolve into some other form of entertainment (after all, nearly everyone on them has unwittingly fallen into some sort of cliché), and OkCupid is hoping to usher in the next stage of online dating with its new Quickmatch Flavors function.

Inspired by playlists, Flavors categorizes different users according to their preferences and interests. With titles like "Kinky Nerds," "Night Owls," "Hardcore Cuddlers," and "Outdoorsy Intellectuals," OkCupid hopes to offer users a quick glance at not only potential matches' photos but also their personality. While the categories are somewhat limiting (after all, whether a person likes beards isn't exactly a great indicator of their character), it makes more sense when coupled with the site's questionnaire and match rating system. 

"We executed this idea because we wanted to explore how to reinforce what makes people unique," the site says. "Personality and opinions matter when it comes to connecting with people." It will be interesting to see whether other apps enact similar functions. Until then, Quickmatch Flavors is now available on OkCupid's iOS app and desktop site.