SEATTLE—MiKandi, billed as the world’s “leading Mobile Adult Application Marketplace,” has launched, bringing with it a lot of buzz about what it will mean for the development of the Google Android OS, which is used on devices such as the Verizon/Motorola DROID, the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G and Sprint’s Samsung Moment/HTC Hero.
“What we do for the developer is simple,” claims MiKandi on its website. “We provide a way to market, monetize and deliver adult apps to users that you wouldn't have access to in your traditional channels. Sweet, right? That's what MiKandi is all about.”
The startup may be brand new—currently offering only one app—but it is already attracting an impressive amount of mainstream press, especially from tech-oriented websites, many of which see far-reaching implications for Android.
“What’s important here, however, is not what applications MiKandi offers now but what it promises for the future, which is the ability for there to be MANY independent app stores for Android phones, which could be targeted towards different industries and audiences,” says ZDNet’s Jason Perlow. “What’s to stop MiKandi from using their same app store platform that they might use to distribute porn for say, religious material? Or sports-oriented content? Or cooking and restaurant related material? Or for scientific and academic purposes? Or ebooks?”
“According to MiKandi,” reports Good Gear Guide, “the company was founded by seven people, including former employees of Microsoft, T-Mobile and Comverse, and adult industry veterans. One of MiKandi LLC’s founders, Shane Isbell, began running an alternative Android applications store—SlideME—before the Android Marketplace’s official launch.”
Jennifer McEwen, one of the company's founders, told PC World, “[MiKandi] wanted to find a niche that was not currently being served and adult applications were at the top of the list. There are no other adult app stores out there to meet this need of users and developers. So we entered the market with MiKandi to provide value to the mobile application ecosystem.
“The adult app market is in its infancy and only a handful of cool adult apps are available,” McEwen added. “Now that the platform is available through MiKandi, it's up to the developers to release their adult apps. Given the level of interest we received just this week, we believe it's only a matter of time before quality adult apps will be launched on MiKandi.”
Visit the MiKandi website for more information.
