Is this newly-released gay cruising iPhone app about to crush Grindr? Some people think so
Map-based gay cruising site Sniffies now has an iPhone app (Sniffies LLC)
When you think of gay cruising apps, your mind probably automatically goes to Grindr, but real connoisseurs of the genre have known for a while now that map-based desktop site Sniffies – now an iPhone app – is where the real action is.
However, it’s no longer going to be limited to web browsers: the creators of Sniffies have finally launched an iOS app and the tech experts at Mashable think that it’s likely to give Grindr a serious run for its money.
Unlike traditional dating apps, Sniffies uses an interactive map where users can see other active members in their area, Users appear as anonymous, discreet icons on the map, showing their rough location, so having it as an actual real-time iOS app will make life a lot easier.
Unfortunately, Mashable notes that the anonymity that has always been Sniffies USP has taken a bit of a hit, as the app requires users to create profiles using”common provider” emails like Gmail or Yahoo. The web-based version only asks for a birth year in order to see nearby profiles.
The app also opens in “Vanilla Mode” and you have to use the website to enable to spicier content, before being redirected back to the app.
It’s believed that that change was made to comply with Apple’s App Store guidelines, which don’t allow “overtly sexual” material. Eli Martin, the company’s chief marketing officer, told Fast Company that those issues are why Sniffies waited so long to launch the app in the first place.
In his interview, Martin explained “There was certainly back-and-forth with the App Store and figuring out how to make it work on both ends. It took way longer than we thought, but it seems like Apple was very open to us being a part of the store as long as we could meet the guidelines.”
“Sniffies has always been about breaking barriers and making real-time connections easier,” Blake Gallagher, CEO and founder of Sniffies said in a press release about the launch. “With the iOS app, we’re giving our Cruisers an even more seamless way to explore, connect, and play,wherever they are.
“Our web-app remains the foundation, but this launch is a major step in expanding the Sniffies experience, giving our cruisers even greater access to the connections they desire.”
You can find out more about the Sniffies iPhone app here.
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