IPod Apps That Are Too Sexy?

Is this why they call it the iPod "Touch?" Search for sexy apps on your iPod or iPhone, and you may be surprised at whats out there. Who knew titillation could be delivered in such a small package? (Kinda makes you wonder what the iPad will bring us -- but I digress.) The current mobile buzz is that Apple is app-blocking certain sexy pictures from your phone, while allowing others. For example, Playboy has an app, and Sports Illustrated has an app for its famous swimsuit issue. But other, smaller, developers have been stymied. Told that their apps are not "family friendly" enough for the app store, theyre lashing out. One developer, ChilliFresh, said, "No images of women in bikinis or skating tights." They have a point: Theyre out, but Playboy is in? No bikinis, but the SI swimsuit issue is OK? Apple says it was getting complaints from parents of kids who have iPhones. Executive Phil Schiller told the New York Times that some of the content found on the apps is not "family-friendly" enough. While this is understandable, you can already hear the snickering of the kids themselves, who know that these devices also come with Web browsers, and therefore connect to a whole world of racy images, videos, and so on. Yes, 6,000 apps have been judged as too racy. But hang out in a Wi-Fi hot spot, and much more can be downloaded on Apples own Safari browser in seconds. The bottom line? Apple has an image to maintain, and for that, the app crackdown makes some sense. But it looks fishy to open the velvet rope to big, traditional publishers, while leaving smaller developers out on the street. And, in an era of instant content via the Internet, the complaining parents will soon learn that the App Store is the least of their worries.