7 ways online dating became more advanced in 2016

LONDON -- A lot can change in a year.

No, we're not talking about politics. We're talking about the realm of online dating.

If you've been off the dating scene for a while, things have changed a little bit since you were last swiping. Naturally, we've made you a little catch-up guide to make sure you're prepared to hit up the dating scene in 2017.

SEE ALSO:Finding a friend through an app may sound awkward, but it's not

Here are seven things that changed in the realm of online dating over the past year.Now, go forth and swipe in 2017.

Tinder launched on TV

Credit: tinder

2016, the year that Tinder became your favourite party game.

Yes, the days of passing your phone around the pub are numbered. If you have an Apple TV, that is. In December, Tinder announced the launch of its app on Apple TV so you can now bring your swiping to a TV screen and enjoy it with friends.

Instead of swiping with your finger, you'll use the Apple TV's remote to swipe either left or right. The only difference is, you and your fellow gamers won't have access to the app's functions like chatting or profile editing.

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Bumble stepped up its verification

Credit: bumble

If you're worrying about catfishing, you'll be pleased to know that Bumble stepped up its verification processes in 2016.

The company launched a new feature that allows users to go through a verification process that uses selfies to check their identity. During the process -- which typically takes less than a minute -- Bumble shows users an image and asks them to take a selfie mimicking the onscreen pose or gesture. The process is designed to improve safety and engagement for all users.

'Pokémon Go' dating happened

Credit: pokedates

There's no use denying it, Pokémon Gotook up a lot of our time in 2016. And, it might have even helped some people find one another.

In fact, Pokémon Gowas such a big deal that a dating site was launched with the aim of bringing players together. All you have to do is answer a few questions about yourself. The site will then email you details about your "PokéMatch" and the details and time of your date. It's not quite as advanced as swiping on Tinder, though.

BFF dating became a thing

Credit: rachel thompson / mashable

A new dimension was added to dating apps in 2016 -- one that's very welcome indeed. Now, as well as shopping for a date on Tinder and Bumble, you can also swipe for new friends.

Bumble launched its friend-finding feature Bumble BFF in March 2016, allowing users to swipe right on and chat to potential pals just like you would for dates. And, Tinder launched its friendship feature Tinder Social in July, allowing users to create groups, meet new potential pals and plan group activities with friends and strangers.

Spotify dating

Credit: tinder

In June, Bumble teamed up with Spotify to reveal a potential date's musical preferences before you swipe right. When you connect your Spotify account to your Bumble profile, your most listened-to artists will appear on your profile.

In September, Tinder launched a similar feature that allows you to see your potential matches' most-played songs on Spotify. The songs are displayed on the profiles of Tinder users who opt to link their Spotify accounts.

A/B testing started

Credit: tinder

In October, Tinder implemented a new global algorithm that alternates the photo first seen by others when you're shown on Tinder. The Smart Photos feature takes note of each response as others swipe on you and reorders your photos to show your most popular pics first. 

Mirror selfies died

Credit: bumble

If there's one thing that really needs to die in 2017, it's mirror selfies. Unless you're Kylie Jenner, it's safe to say that your mirror selfies are not good. In October, Bumble banned mirror selfies along with any photos in underwear, any bikini or swimwear photos taken basically not at the beach and any photos of children with no adults. Nice work, Bumble.

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