Anybody who has been in a long distance relationship will know how hard it is to keep up the excitement and passion without falling curse to the phrase 'it wasn't working'.
Late night Skype conversations, delayed WhatsApp replies due to time differences, awkward SnapChat selfies, broken wifi signals – it's safe to say nothing quite compares to the real-life embrace from your other half.
But now you can rejoice (kind of) because there's a new iPhone accessory that allows you to kiss someone over long distance, fo' real.
The Kissenger app – taken from the words 'kiss' and 'messenger' (it must have taken a long time to come up with that one...) – is a gadget that transmits the sensation of a kissing sensation to your partner, and vice versa, in real time.
According to the Imagineering Lab at City University London who have tested the smartphone gadget, Kissenger uses 'high precision force sensors' to measure the pressure you place on each part of your lips so that the kiss you receive is actually that of your partners. You know, if your partner had plastic lips.
The creators of the accessory created an iOS prototype with a plastic pad that acts as lips which you plug in to a phone's headphone jack (sucks to be you, iPhone 7 users).
Emma Yann Zhang, who worked on the prototype, recently told an audience at the Love and Sex with Robots congress at Goldsmiths, University of London: 'Kissing is the most direct and universal expression of intimacy and affection.
'It's a way for us to bond and maintain intimacy in our relationships,' she added.
However, Kissenger isn't only reserved for smooches between loving partners as it can also be used to send affectionate kisses on the cheeks to family members. Pucker up, Granny.
According to the Independent, the team are now looking to transmit scents through the app so users can smell the person on the phone's odor through their phones.
You might want to shower first, then.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
