The Future of Sex Toys

As with any industry professional out there I try and keep myself educated and in-touch with the latest news from my area of speciality. However, when that area happens to be the click-bait worthy topic of sex toys, “news” quickly becomes full of exaggerated statistics and warnings of the incoming “sexbot apocalypse”. I am quickly growing weary of these sorts of articles, so I thought it was about time I did some my own proper research, to find out for both myself and for my readers what the future of sex toys actually looks like. Turns out we don’t really need to worry about it becoming something out of Ex Machina for quite some time (if at all), and that instead there’s actually a lot to be excited about.

Body-Safe Products

Should it really be a future goal for companies to start making toys that aren’t toxic to put in our bodies? Probably not, but here we are. The sad reality is that this industry operates with no FDA material regulations, so close to 80% of all sex toys are made from non-body-safe jelly or other forms of softened plastic. I’d recommend checking out my Materials Guide to learn more, and if you have a toy like this then to throw it out! Thankfully, the body-safe trend is catching on thanks to the persistence of bloggers. Just this month I reviewed a dual density silicone toy that cost under $50 USD, something that would have never occurred a few years ago.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality, or VR, is a huge buzz word at the moment. Unfortunately, it’s probably going to be some time before we’re fulfilling our Striking Vipers à la Black Mirror fantasies, but the tech is definitely going to continue to play a bigger role in our every daily lives, as well as in our bedrooms. PornHub first released their VR category, which lets you stream porn compatible with VR headsets, in 2016 with a mere 30 clips. It has since become one of their fastest growing categories, now being home to almost 10,000 videos. It is expected that by 2025 the VR porn industry will be worth $1 billion, and with the speed that it’s currently advancing I’m not surprised.

Teledildonics

Strapping on a VR headset is great, but what if you want to be even more immersed in your porn? Well that’s what the emerging industry of teledildonics is for! This sci-fi sounding piece of tech is something people have been thinking about for a long time, with the term first being coined in 1975, but only now has the technology caught up enough to actually be able to offer it. Essentially, teledildonics refers to sex toys that are able to receive and then transmit a sense of touch through the internet. There is then two main ways this can be applied…

The first way teledildonics can be used is quickly changing the way long distance relationships work. The days of phone sex are almost over, as more and more sex toys and companies adopt this technology. The idea is that partners can buy two compatible toys and then link them up over the internet so that the sensations transfer between one another. For instance, imagine using a vibrator and any movements you make with it instantly being transferred to the stroker your partner is using on the other side of the globe!

The second way this technology can be used is alongside porn. Websites like FeelMe offer a massive range of videos compatible with teledildonics toys, meaning you’ll be feeling what you are seeing on the screen. This even works with live cam models, where performers have connected devices to allow you to interact with them like never before.

The leading manufacturer of teledildonics is Amsterdam based company Kiiroo, a sex toy manufacturer that has been working with VR technology since 2013 and is one of the fastest growing sex tech companies around. Recently they’ve partnered with Pornhub to produce a range of these toys for them, which are very impressive as they look high quality but are still relatively inexpensive.

Big Brands

Speaking of Pornhub’s new line of toys, brands starting to manufacture their own toys is another area of this industry that is rapidly changing. All brands love merchandising, but previously sex toys were the sort of thing that was strictly off limits. Now, after the success of Lovehoney’s adaptation of the Fifty Shades of Grey range, more and more big name brands (whether they have anything to do with sex or not) are turning towards putting their logo on a vibrator. Broad City, Tokidoki, Motörhead, and Mötley Crüe are just some of the licensing deals that have been surprising the sex toy world lately. Pornhub in particular have a great range of products for both individuals and couples that are designed to charge your sex life. From anal training kits, bondage sets, rabbit vibrators, and even their own line of lubricant, Pornhub have proved that anyone can get a foot in this industry and do it well.

Versatile Use

One of the biggest trends right now, and one that I hope only continues to improve, is versatile toys. This relates to a few different aspects of design, but the main idea is that these are toys that are designed without a specific use in mind. Instead, they can be used in a variety of different ways on a variety of different body parts. This allows for toys to not be gendered or only compatible with specific body parts, and means that you can find a method of use that is most pleasurable for you. I love the idea of these products because everyone’s bodies are different and thus can receive pleasure in different ways, and spending $100+ on a sex toy (which you can’t typically return after use) to only find it doesn’t work with your exact measurements can be ridiculous. These toys are also particularly good for people with disabilities or mobility issues who may otherwise struggle to use traditional sex toys. A few examples of these sorts of products are the MysteryVibe Crescendo, Dame Fin, and Sola Sync.

Toys as Fashion

The last trend I want to touch on is still emerging, but I think it’s going to quickly become the next big thing. Similar to how lingerie and bondage harnesses are becoming popular to wear in public or at the club, sex toys are also becoming more discreetly integrated into our daily lives. The luxurious Crave Vesper necklace is one of the most popular examples of this, as it’s a vibrator that you can wear with very little chance of anyone knowing what it really is. New York based company Unbound are also designing all sorts of toys with this in mind, from their Palma ring to their Cleo bracelet hand-cuffs.

Which trends do you hope continue to evolve in the future, and which do you pray are just a fad? Let me know in the comments below!

Further reading:

• Beginner’s Guide To Sex Toys
• Beginner’s Guide To Butt Plugs
• Beginner’s Guide To Sex Dolls
• Sex Toy Materials Guide

This post was sponsored by Pornhub Toys, but as always, all opinions are my own. Affiliate links have been used in this post.