Apps

Bumble launches standalone app for finding platonic friends

It’s called Bumble for Friends

Published

August 5, 2023

Martynne De Leon

While Bumble is more popularly known as a dating app in the Philippines, it has an option where you can look for new friends. And I mean platonic friends. It’s called the BFF Mode, one of Bumble’s features since 2016.

Just recently, Bumble finally launched this feature as a standalone app called “Bumble for Friends”, recognizing the growing online connections in today’s young generation.

“Friendship is just as important to our mission [as to romance], which is why we are so excited by the launch of the Bumble For Friends app in the Philippines,” says Lucille McCart, Bumble’s APAC Communications Director.

According to Bumble’s latest research, Gen Zs want to make new friends but they don’t know where to meet people and are intimidated by approaching people IRL.

Bumble for Friends aims to make meeting friends easier, less awkward and more fun. The features are quite similar to Bumble date where members see profiles for potential friends based on common interests, swipe right on profiles they would like to connect with, and are notified if a match is made. A person has 24 hours to begin a conversation.

You can create a group chat, too. Here’s how:

Any member can create a plan for a group meetup with at least two of their connections from the conversations tab.
A member selects a planned activity from a list of suggestions or creates their own.
Once a member selects a plan theme or creates a title for the group chat, they can invite at least two of their matches.
Their matches receive an invite in their chat that is titled the name of the planned activity, which can be edited.
Anyone who accepts the invite can join the group chat and start discussing any of the meetup details.

In fact, Bumble revealed in another survey that 3 out of 4 (74%) people globally are keen to find their ‘tribe’ or a group of like-minded people that they can create real friendships with. Additionally, more than half (68%) of those surveyed are keen to find new friends in their local area for the convenience of meeting up and doing things together.

Anyone currently using BFF mode with the Bumble app who wishes to migrate their profile and connections into the Bumble For Friends app will be able to skip the set-up and easily do so upon downloading and logging in as an existing member.

Once a BFF profile is moved over to the Bumble For Friends app, BFF mode is no longer available in the Bumble app. However, The Date and Bizz functionality remains.

“We can’t wait to see how Bumble For Friends has a similar impact on our ability to connect socially and build platonic love in a time when so many of us feel disconnected,” adds McCart.

Is it a match?

I personally met a lot of new friends digitally, especially during peak pandemic years. I can say that it’s fun and exciting to meet people online with similar interests. It’s even more fun when we got together IRL!

Bumble for Friends offers everyone a chance to find their people. If you’re an introvert looking for a new tribe, or maybe you have a new interest and you’re searching for likeminded people to share it with, this app can be a match for you.

Bumble for Friends is now available on Apple Store and Playstore.

Related Topics:Bumble Bumble for Friends

Apps

iOS 26.5 will support end-to-end encryption RCS messaging

The final update should come out within the month.

Published

May 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Back in 2023, Apple finally adopted the RCS messaging standard, ensuring that iOS and Android users could communicate more seamlessly despite being on different platforms. This year, the platform is adding an improvement to the feature: end-to-end encryption.

Starting with the upcoming launch of iOS 26.5, Apple will now support end-to-end encrypted RCS messaging between iOS and Android users (via 9to5Mac). Besides the seamless communication, users on both platforms can start enjoying secure messaging with one another.

Apple has been testing the feature since February. Now, the company is confident enough to release the encryption technology in a new build for iOS 26.5 meant for developers. At this point, it’s just waiting for an actual release.

Why is this a big deal? Encryption adds an extra layer of security for your messages. Plus, end-to-end encryption means that messages is encrypted and decrypted only by the sender and the receiver. Third parties, which includes Apple, cannot intercept and access your information.

With the feature on, both messaging platforms on Android and iOS will show a lock icon to signify that, yes, your messages are encrypted.

Though the current build isn’t meant for end users just yet, it’s expected that iOS 26.5 will launch within the month, if not by next week.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 17e review

Apps

YouTube makes picture-in-picture mode free for everyone globally

The update is rolling out globally now.

Published

April 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Picture-in-picture (or PiP) mode is a godsend for multitaskers. The feature lets users watch videos in a tiny floating window while doing other tasks. However, the feature isn’t readily available for all users. Or wasn’t, at least. YouTube is now rolling out PiP mode for free globally.

Previously, PiP mode was exclusive to YouTube users who pay for Premium or Premium Lite. It was also exclusive to the United States.

Now, YouTube is making the feature completely free for users all over the globe. It will be available for both iOS and Android versions of the app.

There’s still a catch, though. The free version is available only for “longform, non-music content.” The same goes for Premium Lite subscribers. Music is still an exclusive feature for those who pay for the regular version of Premium. Basically, there is no change for paying users or users in the United States.

Using PiP mode is simple. All you need to do is load up a video you want to watch in the background. Then, just exit the YouTube app and go about your other tasks. The video will be inside a floating, resizable window while you look at other things.

There’s no timeline on when the update will reach your device. However, YouTube has promised that it will roll out globally within the coming months.

Apps

Google might be moving away from flat design

Bye bye, Material Design.

Published

April 27, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s time to kindly shove off, flat design. After over a decade of Google’s Material Design, Android is finally showing signs of ditching flat, monotonous colors. In a series of logo redesigns, Google is reportedly trying out gradients as its latest reinvention.

As spotted by 9to5Google, Google is moving forward with incorporating gradients into its designs. Previously, the company started changing the icons of a few first-party apps including Photos and Maps. Now, it seems that the new design philosophy will reach the rest of Google’s suite.

In the obtained designs, the rest of Google’s plethora of apps will no longer look static. The splash of gradient adds the feeling of layering without losing the company’s roots in flat design. Docs and Sheets, for example, look like a light shining on pieces of paper.

Image source: 9to5Google

It’s unknown when Google plans to incorporate the new philosophy. However, with Google I/O coming fast, it’s fair to bet that an update might come out around that time, especially since that event’s logo already has gradients.

Google’s evolution is not without its precedent. Besides the company’s small trial previously, Apple’s iOS has also made inroads into more three-dimensional designs with the new Liquid Glass. However, unlike Apple, Google’s newest design is a far cry from the former’s return to Windows Vista aesthetics.

Personally, I don’t mind the transition to 3D, as long as it’s done well. Though still visually pleasing, flat design has started overstaying its welcome. It’s time to try something new.