New app Jeltee, designed by two Ph.D. candidates in Abu Dhabi, has a new spin on the ubiquitous match-making app formula that is focused on getting matches offline and to the first date quicker.
The app, which has attracted more than 8,000 users since it was launched in February, gives matches only 24 hours to chat before they setup a IRL encounter. If the lovebirds dawdle too long and miss the deadline, the chat is erased and their chance is lost. As added incentive to move the smooth talking to to a date, the company is partnering with United Arab Emirates restaurants and cafes to offer “Jeltee specials” for those who meet in person.
The app was designed by Armenian Ph.D. candidates Rafael Harutyunyan, 25, and Ashot Mnatsakanyan, 27, who are both studying at the Masdar Institute.
“We noticed how much time people were spending online in different applications and we were like, this is crazy. For months, they can chat, never meet, and just share pictures. Just endless chatting,” Mnatsakanyan told The National . “We ran through some scientific research that showed even three minutes is enough to know if you would like to go out with that person or not. In our case, we make it 24 hours. We shouldn’t need more than that.”
Jeltee, which a take off the Hindi word "jaldee" meaning hurry, is available for iPhones and Windows phones and only in the UAE, though the company plans to expands to more countries and add Android support.
While the UAE might be an odd choice to launch what seems like a dating app - with Tinder unavailable in some parts of the country due to online dating restrictions – the developers insist that Jeltee is a "social discovery" app.
“We are definitely not about dating, it’s about social discovery,” Mnatsakanyan said.
That’s a great strategy for avoiding any regulatory issues in the UAE - but like everything on the Internet, we’re pretty sure we know what it’ll be used for.