Think back to what your Instagram feed looked like at the end of 2015. Remember all those composites of your friends' top nine photos from the past year?
WELL. As it turns out, it was all ploy to get you excited for a new, Instagram-based dating app called Nine, which launched on February 1.
In case you've already forgotten about 2015's final Instagram trend, the photos were created using an online generator that asked people to log in using their Instagram accounts. Millions of people from Kourtney Kardashian to YouTuber Joey Graceffa shared the photos using the hashtag #2015BestNine.
If you were among the 70 million people that checked out the Best Nine generator, you might remember a prompt to join a waiting list for a then-undisclosed service based on Best Nine. Over 100,000 people signed up, Yusuke Matsumura, one of the apps co-creators, told Tech Insider via email. Those people are now the first users on the app.
"Nine is designed to make matches between people focusing more on their personality and inner beauty rather than appearance or status," Matsumura explained.
Unlike other dating apps where you create your own profile, Nine uses your Best Nine composite photo to tempt potential matches and will be directly linked to your Instagram account.
It will be interesting to see if Nine actually succeeds in connecting people based on "inner-beauty" and "personality," since Instagram isn't exactly known for being a honest representation of day-to-day-life. For example, my 2015 Best Nine composite included a look a my dingy apartment kitchen, a very original picture of my feet, and shot of an adorable dog who doesn't belong to me.
Matsumura said he was inspired to start building the app back in 2014 after he tried using dating apps for the first time and was disappointed with what he found. He's hopeful Nine's Instagram focused design will allow users to learn a little bit more about each other before swiping.
Of course, given Instagram's love of food photography, it's possible users will be learning more about their potential date's dietary interests, rather then their romantic ones.
