1776.vc - The stereotype of urbanites absorbed in their phones is not unfounded; look around any downtown coffee shop, and you’ll find people checking email or playing games—and not interacting with each other. Small talk can be intimidating and awkward, so sometimes it’s just easier to delve into your phone.

But dependence on phones doesn’t mean that people don’t want to connect; in fact, as location-based meetup apps show, smartphone users are increasingly interested in face-to-face connection. But for busy young professionals, networking face-to-face via industry happy hours can seem less than efficient. A new group of apps aims to use geo-location and common friends and interests to form new, relevant connections. With technology disrupting how we connect in person, the days of awkward small talk over cheap beer may be over in smart cities.

Romantic (?) Connections

Tinder was the first dating app using location-based information to gain mass appeal. The app uses Facebook profiles to gather basic information and analyze user’s compatibility, based on location, number of mutual friends and common interests. Tinder is extremely well used among young people. A Mashable analysis points out that more than 6 billion matches have been made since Tinder launched in 2012.

Tinder is the big dog in the room when it comes to geographically-based dating apps; their immense user base offers a seemingly unending line-up of potential dates. Yet, growth has led to challenges; in July of 2014, London-based security firm Symantec found a flood of bot Tinder accounts luring users into webcam and game sites. More recently, an update that integrated Instagram and expanded users’ Facebook profile presences led to user outcry, as well as ongoing technical issues.