Singletons judge potential partners on cracked and out-of-date phones, poll claims

Technology may have allowed singletons to expand their horizons and meet more potential partners but a new survey has found your choice of gadget could see you lose out on love.

While bad breath, chewing loudly and getting drunk are still typical turn-offs, one fifth or respondents dismissed a potential love interest because their phone had a different operating system to the one they preferred.

More than one in 10 also judged a date if they had a cracked screen, saying it made them seem careless, clumsy or cheap as they could not afford to fix the damage.

The poll of 2,000 UK adults found three in 10 would reconsider a romance if their potential suitor was using an out-of-date phone which did not feature WhatsApp or social media apps.

“Our research has shown there is so much more people take into consideration now when going on a date," said Liam Howley, a spokesman for musicMagpie, which commissioned the poll. “It’s no longer solely about common interests and physical attraction but how we engage with the world around us. Communication is a key part of any relationship, so it’s understandable couples want to be on the same wavelength when keeping in touch.”

Although 54 per cent of respondents said they would be put off a romantic encounter with someone who spent a lot of time on their phone, almost half agreed it is now more socially acceptable to use your mobile when on a date. Seven per cent said they would be put off a potential partner who had checked out their social media profile prior to their date.

Three in 10 admitted to screening prospective suitors online, with Facebook the go-to for searches, followed by Instagram and Google and just shy of a quarter have ditched their date entirely as a result of their vetting.

Many admitted that they would rather keep in touch with an admirer through text message, iMessage or WhatsApp than over the phone.

It also emerged more than a quarter think dating is harder now than it was five years ago, with many believing people are "drowning" in the dating pool because social media has given us too much choice and made it harder to approach people in person.

One in seven said the expense of modern life makes dating more difficult as well, while 15 per cent put it down to adults not knowing phone numbers, ending the days of biting the bullet and asking for someone’s digits.

“Smartphones and social media have allowed us to stay more connected, but we’ve seen in our study that it doesn’t necessarily mean everything that we do in our lives has become easier, especially dating," Mr Howley said.

SWNS