iPhone 3G To Boost... Porn Industry??

It's well-known that Apple has a habit of making waves in industries with their revolutionary products, and the iPhone is proving to be a prime example of this (See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). However, according to Time, there is one market the iPhone 3G will benefit that analysts and industry leaders probably wouldn't have guessed...

...pornography.

It does make sense. The iPhone's large screen is ideal for viewing both photo and video content, it comes with a full-featured browser, and it handles viewing videos on the web (provided they aren't Flash) better than most devices. Add to that the fact that the iPhone can fit in your pocket and go with you anywhere.

Whether it's because the device is so well-known or the practice is simply so prevalent, some websites peddling the perverted porn have even launched iPhone-formatted versions of their sites. "There are a few hundred iPhone porn sites now in use," says the VP of business development at AVN Media Network, Farley Cahen. Meanwhile, Google Trends shows high use of the search term "iPhone porn."

It is said that producers are also gearing up for the launch of the iPhone 3G, which will make it easier to download videos while not near a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Apple does not condone "iPhone pornography", according to Apple spokeswoman Jennifer Bowcock, but unfortunately they acknowledge the fact that they cannot stop everyone from accessing it in some means in Safari. However, the new 2.0 firmware will place Parental Controls on the device, allowing parents more control over what their child is able to access. Nonetheless, the possibility remains that a parent may not known enough to do so, or that children could possibly circumvent these restrictions somehow.

[via Time]