First came the motor, then the remote control, then came Bluetooth.
Sex toys are a high-tech industry. Oh sure, it’s home to humble rubber cock rings and simple battery-powered single-speed bullet vibrators, but at the other end of the scale we have some amazing tech going on.
When we’ve come so far and achieved so much, what comes next?
In an increasingly high-paced, high-tech world, we shouldn’t be surprised that sex toys are taking advantage of shrinking sizes and costs of microchips and other tech components. Remember, it wasn’t all that long ago that computers took up a whole room.
Particularly of interest is the rise of app-controlled toys, which are shaking up the industry in every way; and ultra-realistic, highly sophisticated sex-cessories, which are starting to make even the most unusual sci-fi fantasies seem like reality.
Let’s get one thing straight: long-distance relationships can be tricky. However, there’s never been a better time to have one. With almost 50 percent of the world boasting internet connectivity in 2017 — a figure that rises to more than 80 percent in developed countries — the demand for sex over a distance has probably never been greater.
And the industry is responding to the demand: more and more manufacturers are putting out versions of their toys that are app-controlled or are focusing entirely on app-enhanced products. Companies like We-Vibe, Lovense, Vibease and OhMiBod have positioned themselves as the experts on this corner of the market, offering up wearable toys controlled by apps that let users play together from all over the globe.
Newer developments include personalized experiences based on user behavior. Acting almost like a training program, the Lovely cock ring sends data to the companion app, which then generates sex tips for new ways to play depending on how it’s been used.
Power-Ups
But apps aren’t the only tech stretching to further satisfy our sexual appetites. As computers have become smaller and smaller (with the smallest on record absolutely dwarfed by a grain of rice), they’ve worked their way into more and more places, including our vibrators.
A number of new toys on the market feature memory chips so they can resume vibrating on the same function they were turned off on, and with the growing number of vibration patterns available on most toys, this is certainly one very handy feature. Similarly, improved travel locks help customers feel comfortable taking their vibrators on holiday with them, or stashing them in a drawer without them going off.
Onboard, wireless-compatible tech is also giving manufacturers more flexibility than ever before, by allowing them to improve and update their products from a distance. Software updates are a fact of life at this point, so why shouldn’t vibrators add new speeds or patterns over their data connection? It’s a huge benefit to consumers, who can buy a toy once and continue to enjoy new experiences for years to come.
But that’s not all! Just as with phones, wireless recharging is making waves in the business, offering users a quick and convenient way to keep their favorite toy fully juiced up and ready to go whenever the mood strikes.
Amp Up the Pleasure
People have been saying “the future is now” for years. And, well, it is. Some sci-fantasies, like teleporting off for a quick holiday on Mars or hoverboarding to work without ever touching the ground, aren’t reality (yet). But other fantasies, like immersive, multi-sensory sex-toy experiences, have already landed.
Naturally, the next step from here is virtual reality. VR as an industry is booming, and the adult industry is right there taking part in it, with haptic feedback devices and full-rendered environments fulfilling consumer fantasies. Companies like Kiiroo and Fleshlight have created toys like the Launch, that combine (a) a really great sex toy (b) with an automatic device (c) that can be linked to online content. Or CyberSkin, whose twerking realistic butt comes with a VR headset that provides a link between the motions you see onscreen and the movements of the toy itself.
When we’ve come so far and achieved so much, what comes next? Much like the world of technology outside of the adult industry, it’s an exciting time to be a part of it, because the answer is: Who knows?
Paul Jaques is the quality and technical manager for U.K.-based sex toy brand and online retailer Lovehoney.
