CHATSWORTH, Calif. — AEBN announced that it is discontinuing the sale of RealTouch devices due to increasing licensing and manufacturing costs, effective Jan. 1.
“The RealTouch product uses a very small amount of technology licensed from a technology partner and without this license in place we are unable to sell the RealTouch Device," the RealTouch Team wrote in an open letter. "Costs of manufacturing have also escalated significantly in the last year. After nearly a year of discussion and negotiation we have been unable to reach agreements that would allow us to continue the project at this time.”
The company is still offering a limited quantity of “complete” Real Touch devices that they anticipate selling out of before the new year. There is also a limited number of replacement devices (i.e., device only, no mini-tower), which work with users’ existing mini-towers that will be available for purchase until Jan. 1, or as long as supplies last.
RealTouch is essentially a high-tech, handheld masturbator that mimicks the “movements, warmth and wetness” of action unfolding on an adult DVD specially designed to synchronize with the device, to replicate the experience for the user in real-time.
In August, AEBN Vice President Jerry Anders told XBIZ that sales of the device had soared well over 30,000 units.
“We remain committed to RealTouch, and hope that agreements can eventually be reached to enable us to continue to provide this one of a kind experience to the public,” the RealTouch team said.
RealTouch Interactive and RealTouch VOD will continue to operate through AEBN and provide touch-enabled content to the company’s existing users.
