tech

Grindr Will Be Back After These Brief Messages (Updated)

In two days, the iPhone application Grindr was to celebrate its first birthday. Except, after amassing some 500,000 users, Apple just yanked it from the App store. (UPDATED: No they didn’t.)

It’s unclear whether Apple’s move is part of last month’s purge of “adult” apps, but users looking to download it are being met with zero results. Those who have already downloaded the app should still find it in working order — removing the app only deletes it from the App Store, but doesn’t appear to inhibit its usage. Grindr’s blog hasn’t been updated with any info, but its founder Joel Simkhai (seen here with Lance Bass) has made efforts to keep the app within Apple’s official rules, which prohibit adult information being posted publicly in an app (i.e. as your main profile photo), but exchanged X-rated photos in a private chat is allowed.

To celebrate its one-year anniversary, Grindr told members it was “throwing over 50 Grindr birthday parties around the globe between March 23rd and 29th. From South Korea to the United Kingdom, and Australia and the United States, there will be parties over 30 cities around the world making this truly a global event.” (Whether George Michael was going to participate is anyone’s guess.)

This is sure to put a damper on things.

And: The website Guys I Blocked on Grindr, devoted to publishing screenshots of unappealing profiles, is offline.

UPDATE: Wikipedia has already been edited with the news: “On March 23, 2010, at approximately midnight pacific time, the Grindr app and its references were removed from the app store.”

UPDATE: Simkhai writes us: “Error on my part. Should be back up by EOD today.” Apple will let the gays keep cruising!

(Photo: Yes, that is Eating Out 3‘s Chris Salvatore.)

Don't forget to share:

Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...

We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated