Facebook listens exclusively for couples

Facebook listens exclusively for couples

Facebook has launched a new app that functions as a private space for couples who may be separated due to social distancing guidelines in place in many parts of the world battling the coronavirus pandemic. The Tuned app, which is available on the Apple Store, allows couples to enjoy a variety of things between partners, including even a journaling feature. In the app's description on iOS, Facebook calls it "a private space where you and your loved one can be yourselves." The album-like app, developed by the company's NPE (New Product Experimentation) team, allows couples to share photos, notes, voice memos, maps, Spotify music, and their moods. line "With Tuned, you can be as bushy, eccentric, and silly as you are together in person, even when you're apart," the app's description reads. The app, which is available for free for iPhone and iPad, makes it clear that users must be at least 13 years old to sign up. At first glance, it has only been released in certain regions. A search of the App Store in India was unsuccessful. Facebook launched NPE last year and previously released the meme app called Whale, as well as Hobbi, which is a Pinterest app that focused on entertainment. A report in The Information cited a Facebook spokesperson to suggest that the app was released under the NPE to help set appropriate expectations with users just in case it doesn't really meet user expectations, the app is likely it closes. The NPE team launched Hobbi as a photo and video sharing app in February, where users could document personal projects and hobbies using photos. Though inspired by the Pinterest UI, the app organizes themed collections of hobbies like gardening, cooking, crafts, and decorating. Facebook did not announce the launch of Hobbi. However, social media observers were not without notice of the timing of the launch, which came shortly after Google's Area 120 incubator launched Tangi, which also focused on hobbies, creativity, and DIY content.