South African sparks the dating world with iPhone app

It identifies potential matches and sparks users when they are nearby. If the spark is ignited, the two can chat and flirt over the network, then arrange a place to meet up.

This UK-based South African has changed the face of British social networking and says over 100 000 Sparks have flown across London alone. The Evening Standard called it one of the ‘key trends in dating' for 2010.

How it works

Inspired by movies like Serendipity, the app goes where you go, finding matches for you and ‘sparking' you when they're nearby.

Users fill out their profile on the free app, tell it the type of person they want to meet and then go out. The network searches for matches ranging from ‘ember' to ‘inferno' and lets you decide if you want to find an ‘instant spark', ‘eternal flame' or just someone you share common interests with.

When someone walks past a match, they both get sparked in real-time. If both people ‘ignite' they can see each other's profile and instant message on the network. However, if they don't like the look of their match, they can ‘extinguish' the spark, without sharing anything. If they don't feel like chatting right away, the app stores the spark so they can connect later.

For safety, the network doesn't use exact locations. It just shows the approximate distance, letting them decide if they want to meet. It also doesn't reveal address, emails or phone numbers.

Michael said he's delighted to launch the successful app back on home soil. “I'm really excited to bring it to South Africa. South African's are really enthusiastic when it comes to new technologies and I think they'll really get into it.”

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