Apple Considers Plan to Buy Twitter?

CUPERTINO, Calif. — After spurning a $500 million offer from Facebook last year, hot-topic microblogging website Twitter may have another offer, this time from the empire of Steve Jobs.

The rumor meme already has its own handle, "Twapple," and was first mentioned over at New York gossip blog Gawker.com and has since gained some traction online.

What would such a deal look like, and how might it affect the adult industry? According to Gawker's Owen Thomas, the mighty iPhone would be the key to the deal.

"What does Twitter, an adorable but unprofitable startup, have to do with a hardware company like Apple? The iPhone is the obvious driver of the deal," he said.

Presumably, Apple would want to formally incorporate Twitter functionality into the iPhone, which already has several Twitter apps available for it. The importance to the adult industry relates to Twitter's sheer popularity among industry members.

For perspective, the website PornStarTweet.com aggregates Twitter activity from performers across the industry. There's a lot of it.

Peter Housley runs PornStarTweet via his company NaughtyTweet.com, which also hosts four other Twitter aggregating sites. Housley told XBIZ that despite Twitter's popularity, most avid Twitter users don't actually dial up the URL Twitter.com, instead opting for services like TweetTree.com, Splitweet.com, Seesmic.com or TweetDeck.com.

Housley also noted the popularity of Twitter apps on the iPhone, adding that using Twitter while on the go plays into the site's central question, "What are you doing?"

But does this story have legs? PCMag.com expressed skepticism about the rumor, noting that all reports about it reference a single shadowy source. Tech pundit of Kara Swisher of the blog AllThingsD.com went even further and laid out a detailed argument debunking the rumor.

"In point of fact, talks with Facebook last year were actually the only truly deep sale discussions that Twitter has been involved in, and those went south," she said. "Oh, the very notion of Apple and Twitter is a techmeme dream-ticket, sure to be chewed over for days on end."

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More