Everybody under a certain age is familiar with the benefits of services like Tinder and Grindr. They help people find others who share their interests and ambitions at the touch of a button. But it’s not all gravy. For every successful meet-up there are countless failed ones, normally preceded by days of messages that go nowhere. That’s why we’re excited to try Soone, a clever new app whose goal is simple: to keep the good bits of dating apps, and chuck out the bad bits. Of course, it’s not just a dating app. Soone helps you forge business and social connections, too. And it does it in the simplest, safest, and most streamlined way. Like most social connect apps, Soone lets you personalize your profile with a number of different interests. It also lets you state what you’re looking for, so that prospective matches know whether or not to approach you. Once you’re up and running, Soone keeps things brisk. If a connection request doesn’t get a response within 30 minutes – bam – it’s gone. And if a request is accepted, the relevant parties have got two hours to make their plans. After that, the chat box disappears. It’s secure, too, requiring users to verify their initial photo using the same kind of face verification technology that Apple uses to unlock your phone. This makes it more or less impossible for catfishers to get a look in. Soone also provides you with public hotspots, where there are five or more fellow Soone users within a mile of one another. For added safety, the app never shows specific locations – just rough heatmaps, to give you a general idea. On top of that, Soone only proposes meeting places that it has certified as safe in terms of visibility and security, giving you total control and peace of mind. All that, and Soone is totally free, with no IAPs, subscriptions, or membership options. Check it out right now on the Google Play Store or the App Store.
