It was over a year ago that Grindr CEO Joel Simkhai announced he’d be launching a version of his homo hook-up app aimed at breeder boys and girls. In a special podcast this morning at 10am CST, the company will officially roll out Project Amicus (please let that be a working name), a location-based social app open to straight men and women, as well as gays, lesbians and others along the LGBT continuum.
Here’s some verbiage from the company’s press release:
“Users love our existing location-based mobile experience, and we recognize the demand for a mainstream app,” says Joel Simkhai, who is leading the project. “We’re thrilled to continue harnessing the power of location to deliver a compelling new global platform that fundamentally changes and improves the way we meet new people.”
“Location-based services have transformed the way we see and interact with the world around us, but they have had less impact on how we make new relationships,” adds Scott Lewallen, the project’s creative vision. “With Project Amicus our goal is to develop that next step, making it simple and convenient to meet.”
Project Amicus promises a fresh spin on the location-based social phenomenon, and will be packaged with an optimized interface that catalyzes human interaction. Users can expect a unique mobile app experience unlike anything currently on the market that caters to how women and men communicate together.”
Since its debut just two years ago, Grindr has garnered 2.6 million users worldwide and revolutionized how gay men connect socially and sexually. Some have blamed it for the failing health of the bar scene. (It certainly did a number on Puerto Rican politician Roberto Arango’s career.) But while we could see straight men being into an app that helps them pull a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am, how’s it going to fly with the ladies?
Simkhai tells The Daily Beast’s Etay Hod that the straight version isn’t so much a dating site as a way to make connections. “Facebook does a great job keeping you connected with people you already know,” he says, “but how do you meet new people? How do you make new friendships?” The Grindr impresario also says members will be able to control the accuracy of their location, offering an added level of security to ladies worried about getting stalked by sleazebags.
Okay, but they still have to do something about that name. Amicus? It sounds like something you file in a civil case or a priest performs during Mass—neither of which are conducive to hooking up. If the idea is a softer, gentler version of Grindr, how about “Rubbr?” We’ll expect our check in the mail.
Ashton
That’s great and all, but where are the dating apps for android? The best one we get is Scruff, and it still sucks major ass.
pedro
It’s going to flop… Women screw for money or with the hopes of a guy putting a ring on it. The few sluts willing to give freebies to total strangers can’t keep this ship afloat. There is also the heightened safety concerns. Women letting strange guys into their homes just for a fuck….yeah this is def going to work…
vixlad
@pedro: I wholeheartedly agree.
Fitz
The whole world is ALREADY Grindr for heteros.
jj
Isn’t this why breeders have bars and truck stops? And football games? Isn’t this why they scream, “woo” at the top of their lungs? Seriously, I think it’s their mating call, or something.
Of course this will work. Of course they’ll use it. Hetero females are just as predatory as men. The hilarious thing is that they’ll all be married or “engaged.” Face it, breeders are becoming what homosexuals were. We are attempting to emulate them. It’s unfortunate.
Opheliac
I think they should make a lesbian version before a hetero one, seriously.
milhouse
In your greed, you are destroying your brand, Mr. Simkhai.
chrissie riot
@pedro & @vixlad: Wow, way to be misogynistic! Fantastic job there generalizing all women into your apparently hateful and bitter box. Ugh.
I kind of like the idea of something that’s going to work as a way to meet people without the onus of sex. Sites like OKC and Zoosk are essentially dating sites and it feels weird using them to just try to meet people to be friends with. If that’s what Amicus (that really is a bad name) plans on being that’s cool, I also appreciate that it’s open to the whole rainbow of sexuality.
EdWoody
“Facebook does a great job keeping you connected with people you already know,” he says, “but how do you meet new people? How do you make new friendships?”
How about fucking TALK TO PEOPLE for crying out loud?
Ted
It will be a giant fail.Str8 people are no way near as slutty as gay men.
Shannon1981
I don’t think this will work out at all. The first time I let a straight female pal see me cruising fingr- the lesbian(albeit much less popular, we still prefer folky coffee shops for our hook ups)version of grindr, she recoiled. Said it was trashy, that she’d never do anything like that, that gpsing women for hook ups was creepy and weird. I just don’t think the straights are going to go for this. I really thin Mr. Simkhai needs to recognize the cultural differences between gays and straights before he commits career suicide.
Shannon1981
@Opheliac: It’s called fingr. IT is in the Android Market. I don’t think there is any such app for iPhone, though.
RomanHans
Chrissie, here’s a fabulous fact that confirms what my hetero male friends have told me. A survey by Match.com said 57% of New York women don’t mind splitting the check on a first date.
Which means, you know, 43% of women WON’T split the check on a first date. Which means for them a financial benefit is an important part of dating.
Frankly, then, I have no problem with pedro and vixlad generalizing that, taking the cynical view of hetero relationships, there’s a fine line between a large percentage of women who date and whores. (Aside from the fact you know you’ll get sex from a whore.)
Before you jump on me, though, know I’m on your side. I’m totally horrified by this situation, as I’d NEVER date anybody with profit on their minds. Apparently, though, we’ve swung far right — “Charlie’s Angels,” “Pan Am,” and “Playboy Bunnies” are new TV shows this season — and, sadly, women are apparently okay with that.
pedro
What about my comment is misogynistic? Please get out of the gay ghetto, where giving it out to any tom, Dick, and harry is considered a virtue, and into the broader society where most women expect at the least dinner and a movie before letting a man near their special lady parts. Most women consider it an insult to be thought of as easy pickings, not a compliment. Even whores are looking to get paid.
Riker
@Ashton: erm, Grindr *is* an Androd app.
As far as the name, how about Breedr?
Simon
For Android evices best is Jack’d. Grindr is cool in layout, but it’s still very bugged and unstable.
Storm
I was SURE they were going to call this “breedr.”
jeff4justice
These so-called social sites have turned small town LGBT folk into internet zombies who are always online for hours but are too anti-social to come out to events. Night after night, the same group of people are always online for hours.
Michael
Grinder for straight people? That’s like bifocals for blind people: Looks good on but really of no use.