Dating service Bumble is changing up one of its flagship features and will now allow men using the service to send the first message in a conversation.
"Beginning today, anyone in a match can send the first message, while recipients will now have 72 hours, up from 24 hours, to respond, giving members greater opportunity to start conversations at their own pace," the company wrote.
This is a big shift for Bumble, which launched in 2014 with a signature feature that gave women control over starting conversations.
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Bumble hopes the changes will make connections easier for a busy clientele.
"Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections and that is what this new experience provides," said CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd. "This evolution isn’t a departure from our founding vision, but the realization of it."
Bumble is making changes as the market for dating apps experiences a slowdown. Both Bumble and competitor Tinder have said paying users and overall revenue have both declined. In June, it was reported Bumble may seek a sale.
