Mobile porn - has it taken off ?
 

Seems around 3 years ago the big buzz around the adult webmaster boards was how big the mobile porn biz was set to be in the future, at the time I doubted it would have any more than a short term, novelty value because of the, (then), super high price it was being marketed at and the viewing restrictions caused by the slow/unreliable downloads and the smaller screens of most mobile devices and my modest early forrays into it pretty well proved my doubts right.

Thoughts/comments/experiences anyone ?

The people doing it right aren't making any money because it costs way too much to keep up with devices and formats. That said, ... yeah there's money in mobile porn.

Yeah, used to hear alot about it about two years ago. The buzz has died down and I haven't heard anymore about it in the past year.

Moblie porn? You mean on cells?

Mainly cells yes, but any small, mobile device with internet access capable of handleing movie downloads.

Porn on handheld devices should continue to increase along with the marketshare of these types of devices. If a device is capable of pictures, video, sound and even text, people will view porn on it.

The trend has generaly been that handheld devices are a few generations behind desktop or settop devices of the same time period. So the more computing power we get for our computers, the more that trickles down to handheld devices. As handheld devices become more and more media capable, it becomes easier to view media, so media specifically produced for those devices is not as necessary.

Eventually it seems logical that virtually any media you own would be transferrable to any device you own (licensing debates aside). So porn acquired through any source (e.g. DVD, online) could be watched on your TV, on your computer or on your pocket video player. So theoretically the need for device specific media should diminish while the ability for people to consume media should increase.

A few years back handheld devices were also being hoped for as the next wave of Internet goldrush in being a "new" connected platform. It's tricky right now because delivering content directly to a handheld device, like a cellphone, is restricted by the providers (mostly). As the ability to transfer media across devices becomes easier, then the dependency on those systems for delivery should reduce.

Hopefully, ultimately, more viewing devices should equate to more sales of media (porn or otherwise) for everyone.

:2 cents:

Dunno about it taking off, but I am starting to get a lot more MMS porn on my cell from people I know.

Its still in the hangar.
WG

One of the reason cellphone porn has not taken off in a big way is because the technology and connectivity is still expensive and cummbersome.

Where are pornpod casts are doing very well. One of our clients gets as much as 400 to 500 downloads daily. They are only 8 months old.

not true at all :warning


it WILL take off!!! and we will bring it to you guys very soon :thumbsup

if you ask me there are lots of problems there with standards (lots of diferent models, diferent image sizes... etc) and billing problems (also because lack of standards)...

On internet is much easier...

just my 2c

The real problem has to do with compatibility with the 4 major US carriers, until now no one in the US has been able to successful create WAP sites that are compatible with all 4 carriers.

This is being said everything is about to change on May 1, as one company has worked out a way to be able to have streaming video available for cell phones.

They will be sending out a press release very shortly and will be at Cybernet.

Porno Dan

well definitly its going to be huge bizz

What business model would the 400/500 downloads per day be accessed by - free or some kind of ppv system ?

Just curious.

I'm going to have to agree with this, in no order, and it's just me experience for the past couple of years:

- US providers won't let you bill adult (hopefully it's just a "yet").

- If you're talking SMS in the US - it's ridiculous what you get after the SMS aggregator and carrier take their share. That's after you can pass your shortcode campaign through all carriers' dissimilar requirements.

- I have yet to see a company come out, even in the europe market, that offers solid billing (I'm from the US, mind you), that's not a pain in the ass to register for. Cingular phones seem to be the only ones easily going through UK-based mobile billing solutions.

- Only solution I know of, to vend image / video / ringtone for handsets is the WURFL, and that's pretty spotty. Doing Java apps and getting approved on carriers for that is a whole other deal.

There's a bunch more shit I'd talk, being jaded having come from web to wireless, but that's what I've found.

There's a Dr. Jones dude on this board who, in his posts, gives me hope, but until he gives it again, I'm just jaded about mobile development in regard to adult content.

That suprises me. I would have though the carriers would be able to handle anything run through them based on TCP/IP. If there was a problem based on delivery then I would have thought it would be something to do with the software/browser platform differences of mobile devices.

Seems to me that is exactly what people were saying 3 years ago but from what I've seen to date it just looks like buzz with no fizz.

So a conference call would be group-sex? Or, yuck ... a circle-jerk .....?

If any of you want more information please email me directly. The company I am talking about is aleady signed up to be a sponsor at the Cybernet Expo in Tampa June 7- 10. Their WAP site is already up and running in its beta version, is compatible with all 4 major carriers, and has its billing capability up and running.

You can reach me [email protected], I apologize if I don't respond right away as I am on my to the airport, and won't be online unitl tomorrow afternoon.

Problem companies targetting phone surfers are facing is that many of them are just to late and mobile surfers already viewing regular sites now just as fine, and they continue to go to them... I know.. i have 100 of them a day hitting email box complaining everytime we mod the free site a bit. and we get about 5-10k a day total which kinda sucks cuz we know we won't ever convert anything with em, so i wish someone would take em away

and before you ask, no we wont redirect em, then we'd get 5000 emails a day hehe

drop me an email yo when you are ready! been waiting to get into the mobile action. :thumbsup

sure :thumbsup



there's a lot of people here who have the wrong idea and information about mobile... keep your eyes open for a big thread from me :thumbsup

Check me too, I've been into mobile for 3 years, it's pretty good but not booming yet, this is probably because the lack of technical standards in the industry.

Along with a couple of "regular" mobile websites, I made these 2 little guys with simple html and made small to fit the tiny screen of a Cell phone or PDA, they convert and they work great. Basically doorways to sponsor content.

4tnt.com Mobile Movies (Streaming or download)

cfux.com Mobile Video Chat (Real live mobile video chat)

Technical standards between service providers is not a problem with 4nt.com as transactions are done by CC and cfux.com uses CC and billing via service provider (Cingular etc) in most areas.

Questions? PM me :)

Mobile porn pays my bills ... see sig

This is indeed true. I'm the webmaster of HandheldPornSites and 2 of our biggest problems would probably be 1) so many different formats are needed to support the many possible devices and 2) transferring to the different devices isn't easy enough right now.

It's a good business that's only getting larger, but I seriously question whether or not it's currently the goldmine some sources quote it as being.

What would you say is the most popular current format for mobile devices - taking into account cross platform issues ?

there are also a lot of people here who have been around for a long time and recognize the mobile porn issue as one that has NEVER lived up to the hype... and is not even close to taking off in the US anytime soon.

Anyone who wants to see streaming video porn channel that works with all the major carriers please hit me up. The beta site is up and running. The AP will be a carrying a press release about it within two weeks.

Porno Dan

Got a URL ?

the technology is nothing new. the problem is that you have to cater to the lowest common denominator - shitty phones - and not all carriers/networks support broadband access and those that do, charge a lot for it.

i dont know a lot about this and dont pretend to. i know enough experience to know that the only people ever excited about the "future of mobile porn" are those with something to sell... its always been that way. to date, no one has done much with it in the US.


will be interesting to see how one of the US's most heavily regulated industries tackles the yet unsolved issue of age verification.

With the increasing mobile download speeds, and the faster processing power of the mobile phones being introduced to the market, the demand will increase dramatically. It was frustrating 3 years ago, due to the limitations of the mobile phones. In the next couple of years and beyond, all these limitations would be issues of the past.

The mobile phones bring in the 3rd MAJOR screen. First was your television, next your computer monitor, and now your mobile device. Currently, the 3rd screen is growing faster than the other two.

Who wants to look at porn content on a cell phone screen? The answer, in short: many, many people. A recent study examining Google search queries from cell phones found that adult search terms like "sex," "porn," and "playboy" were the most frequent.
Researchers from Columbia and Carnegie Mellon Universities examining queries from cell phones on a major American carrier within a one-month period in 2005 found that erotica was targeted by more than 20 percent of searches, making it the largest single search category. Arts and literature, food and drink, shopping and consumer services, and news all scored less than two percent each.
Is the cell phone the next frontier for Porn?
Indeed, mobiles are proving to be a potent distribution channel for adult entertainment; according to Juniper Research, the total mobile adult-content market was worth $1.4 billion in 2006. Formats range from interactive video to explicit wallpapers and adult-themed games. - Peter M. Ferenczi

BB Games can take you mobile on rev-share basis. There is ZERO investment to you other than shipping your content to us. We'll clipp all your content (the good stuff) and make movie clips and wallpaper...all custom branded. We do testing on most cell phones on different carriers. Our system is all auto-detect..making it easier for the customer to download. We handle the payment processing, so that you don't have to go through the carriers in the U.S (can't sell adult content through the U.S. carriers).

Please contact us if you're interested in going "Mobile?" (movie clips / wallpaper / custom games)....all custom branded.

When the buzz first started about mobile porn I said - NO ONES GONNA JACK-OFF TO SCREEN AS SMALL AS A PHONES - No matter how easily avilable the content is.

I was right. :2 cents:

I'd have to say you are incorrect :thumbsup

I'd have to say you are also incorrect :thumbsup

Na... the "devices" are too varied and unstable - tho chances are that market will be relevant when standards have settled.

Cell phone "services" are massive in China and Japan (not particularly porn) and the EU is far more advanced than the US side - but still miles to go yet before any "real biz" happens.

I dont get it. Guys cant wait until they get home to watch porn? They HAVE to do it on the subway train or in the supermarket?

do it your self video :P http://mvstreaming.com and see my test non porn running revision 3 aka diggnation on your phone (provided you can stream video) at http://mvstreamer.mobi

mobile porn - can you make money? sure, only in the hands of a few and they arnt sharing their pie not to mention charge you way to much.

i would have to say that like all those before you, you have a financial and emotional interest in making that statement

;)

WAAT.com :winkwink:

Actually I'm a Verizon cutomer and they don't allow access to "adult material" and neither do most carriers. That's why it hasn't taken off.

We are translating like crazy for content providers and mobile Porn platforms....yeah it's real money.

i will be selling a site very soon so stay tuned

shit i forgot to address who makes money from mobile porn, its not the content providers its the people who own the tech and the traffic who make the money, you can count your pennies you get when that check comes in.

If you want to make money on porn do this and then thank me later.

1:
Build free sites and generate traffic (control the traffic) sell that valuable traffic and I mean its valuable to those wanting to see their wallpaper, video or mini sites. Believe me this is much easier than trying to deal with these guys who own the tech and charge you crazy amount of money and lock you into contracts.

2:
Control the traffic, build Search engines, tgps, anything that surfer we know and love are looking for free. Traffic Traffic Traffic.


listen, their are a few key players their are a few key spots avail on Carriers decks, you want that spot you pay out the ying yang, do you get money in your return maybe.

some basic math.

single wallpaper 1.99 for example
carrier cut (depending on country) 40-60%
technology owner cut (unknown but lets guess 5-10%)

1.99 x .5 = .995 (.96) x .1 = .096 (.10) = your cut .86 and that can very big time depending on your situation, and also maybe your monthly fee you pay the tech guy running the show.

If you can get that wallpaper sold 40,000 times in a month you make out with $34,400.. is it doable, sure, is it likely for you the smaller guy, prob not.

what do we do again, we build sites (control the traffic) :)

sorry this is just a rant, but a rant that people need to be aware of, do you spent time/money in mobile or do you focus on your more lucrative adult web site which you charge anywhere from $25-$30 for a member ship.

:1orglaugh no one said mobile will be your a upsell... :thumbsup

I know from my stats that I am getting 15-20k symbian hits per day.. isn't symbian a phone operating system?? because if it is, I should really start looking for somewhere to send them that is optimized for phone viewing..

we decided not to sell cause were making to much money
and every one would laugh at the price i would give
(120k$)

what upsell?

Anyone who wants the URL to the beta WAP site that works with all 4 major carriers please email directly [email protected]. The official launch is May 1 and as I mentioned they are a sponsor of Cybernet.

Thanks

Dan

People on a cell phone don't typically use a search engine to find porn. They use a slimmed down list of URLs they would otherwise have visited on a full blown web browser. Email and news yes. Porn no. My cell phone (Samsung A900) will suppress images past a certain point. Lots of points not working for us off the bat. What would be REALLY cool would be if we could offer adult URLs to cell phones via bluetooth when a phone is in the vicinity of an appropriate area. How to do that? No idea, but it's worth thinknig about (if it's even possible).

Getting your URL into that phone easily is the biggest major bitch to resolve.

Xobile.com man.... AEBN has been doing PPV over cell phones for over a year. Actual streaming or downloadable video clips. Works on any carrier. Works on any phone (theoretically) that can play the 3 major mobile video formats (3gp, Real, WMV) Also check out YanksCash Pocketgirls Network. I even have a php, perl or python script you can use that taps into the Xobile device detection system and redirect users based on the device they are using.

Unfortunately for most adult webmasters, the people making the most money in mobile, generally, are people from the mobile industry.. not adult. They know all the tricks of the mobile trade, and so far havnt really made an effort to spread the knowledge;).

Mobile will get there, as many have been saying... but I too am pretty disillusioned with the current state of affairs. This mainly has to do with the shitty handsets that every manufacturer continually craps out, yet thinks its the next best thing since sliced bread. Their only concern is cramming as much buzzword laden tech into their phones with no regard for the user experience, or how it all works together. But hey.. consumers get phones with bluetooth, infared, 3g, EVDO, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA.. too bad they dont know what the fuck any of that means! Too bad the features are all hidden behind layers or poorly designed menu's, obscure non-sensical buttons and keypad layouts, and flakey operating systems. It shouldnt be a chore to figure out how to type a hyphen in the URL of your phone's webbrowser.. but it is, 90% of the time. They cant even get that right. Giving a regular person a mobile phone and asking them to go find some internet porn on it, right now, is like taking your average suburban american guy and dropping him in the middle of the African rainforest with only the shirt on his back, and saying "Find your way home!".

For someone who pushes mobile porn, that does sound pretty cynical, I know:1orglaugh! But I do have high hopes for the iPhone.. Whether or not it lives up to the hype, well... we will have to wait and find out. But if it works half as well as advertised, I think it has potential to wake the US consumer the hell up. It may just help the US consumer see the value in a "phone thats not just a phone". A mobile device that will make your average person go "Oh shit!", instead of "huh...". At any rate, I think it will definately send the other phone manufacturers scrambling to back to the drawing board to figure out how to not make their phones suck so much.

Theres just so much about the mobile industry that fights with itself... the cellcos do so much shady business they breed practically nothing but animosity from consumers. Each one is dreaming of the day they have a monopoly and do as much as possible to limit consumers use of their devices/network while charging rediculously high prices for everything. Each adhering to their own standards in an attempt to lock out the competition, while not realizing they are actually killing the mobile ecosystem as a result. The mobile world is not a healthy world for developers and companies who want to make applications or mobile services.. The Cellcos actually do everything they can to prevent it from being healthy, so they can cook up their own half baked quasi-solutions and sell it themselves. That way, they keep all the money. They may piss of the consumers, but hey.. we dont really have a choice! The mobile environment is like a coral reef.. and the cellco's are oil tankers in the water above, with huge leaks in the bottom, covering the entire thing in their evil black sludge.:mad:

Imagine if you had to buy a new computer each time you moved and had to switch internet service providers. That provider also dictated exactly what websites you could visit, what operating system was installed on your computer, dictated exactly what you could and couldnt do with it, and charge you twice the price currently pay. Tasks that you normally do without a second though on your computer, in this other world, would actually be stupidly expensive paid services provided by your ISP. Think about switching ISP's? Good luck transfering your contact lists, etc. You get the idea. That sums up the current mobile climate pretty well.

But... there is hope, it is getting better and not worse :thumbsup. All the mobile adult industry hype was very premature, and it was really outta hand a year+ ago. I think the problem was really, there were a handful of companies (if even that many) making inordinant amounts of noise about their new mobile "products". Yelling about how forward thinking they are and how you can make millions today!! Everything mushroomed, probably because other companies with mobile in their future didnt want to be left in the dust, and joined in the chorus. They didnt want to let someone else take all the mindshare early on. The dust has settled and the few mobile offerings that actually had solid products (and not just hype) are still steadily growing, like they always have been. 2008-2009 should be when things start to get really good.

Now everyone knows.. you want to hear me rant and ramble, get me talking on mobile :1orglaugh . I have more to say, but its late, and I'm forcing myself to stop!