The launch of Apple's iPad 2 on Wednesday left a lot of consumers excited - perhaps none more than those in the adult entertainment industry.
That's because the new iPad, like the latest version of the iPhone and iTouch before it, will feature Apple's signature video chat application FaceTime, which has been adapted for X-rated use by a company called iP4Play.
"iP4Play offers a true two-way audio and video experience like no other where both parties can see and hear each other utilizing the stunning display resolution of the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad or Apple Mac computer," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The service, which launched in August of last year, currently employs roughly 35 women to handle the phones and charges $4.00/minute per call.
Claiming to hold the title of the only adult video chat to operate using FaceTime, iP4Play says it has tens of thousands of users and sees roughly 30% growth in its client base every month.
iP4Play is also available on the iPad. (ip4play.com)
"The return rate of our customers is pretty encouraging too," said Travis Falstad, 37, the company's Co-Founder and Managing Director. "Our typical first-time customer returns 65-70% of the time."
"Our typical user is male, 25-40, and on the more technical side," Falstad told the Daily News. "In the early days it was a lot of guys who worked at large tech companies trying out the service. We get the occasional couple. With our international growth, we are starting to get a lot of customers from the UK, New Zealand, Australia - even Saudi Arabia."
Falstad says the company is not yet making money, but is "probably a couple of months away" from being profitable.
The concept of using Apple products for adult content is hardly new. Days after the iPhone 4 went on sale last year, Craigslist ads in at least five cities popped up recruiting girls to participate in video sex chats using the FaceTime application.
Surprisingly, Apple has approved X-rated applications for the iPhone before, such as MyVibe – a vibrator application – which launched in 2009, but the general understanding is that it will not approve the sale of adult apps in the iTunes store. Lucky for iP4Play, it's a 'web service," not an app.
And despite Apple's history of shutting down X-rated content on its platforms, Falstad sees his company's relationship with the tech giant as mutually beneficial.
"We believe Apple is happy to have us out here helping to promote FaceTime. Our customers have the ultimate satisfying experience so we're helping to convert tens of thousands of new FaceTime users," he said. "Adult drives innovation in technology so I think it's a natural fit that's born out by our satisfied customers."
In anticipation of the success this technological advancement will bring, iP4Play welcomed news of the iPad2 yesterday with a day of promotion dubbed "Porn Star Wednesday."
"Any new launch of an apple product is obviously very exciting," said publicist Brian Gross, who represents the adult brand. "For a company like ip4play it gives both the company and the consumer something to get excited about."
Want to join in but don't have an iPhone? Don't worry. You can also use the service on Skype from your computer.
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