We-Vibe was created by Standard Innovation, a Canadian company founded by the married couple Bruce and Melody Murison. Bruce Murison previously worked in the
semiconductor and
manufacturing industries. They started Standard Innovation in 2003 but did not publicize what the company was working on until the launch of the first product in 2008. The company released the first We-Vibe couple's
vibrator, or C-shaped device designed to be worn by a woman during sex and over the
pubic bone, with one end inserted vaginally and the other end resting against the clitoris. Soon after, the company gained the endorsement of
Sue Johanson, a Canadian
sex educator, and
Mehmet Oz, a surgeon and host of the talk show
The Dr. Oz Show. Since its release, the brand has seen significant popularity and sales. Adult toy experts believe this may be due to the brand's mainstream consumer marketing strategy, product design, and discrete packaging. Standard Innovation has used legal means in an attempt to protect its
intellectual property. In early 2012, the company filed a complaint with the
United States International Trade Commission (USITC) against
LELO and others for infringing on Standard Innovation's patent for the adult toys designed to be worn while a couple has sex. The two companies settled the patent disputes in 2016. In addition to the remote control included in previous models, this version featured a
Bluetooth-enabled vibrator with mobile app connectivity features. For the first time, the company's products could be controlled by a partner over long distances and from anywhere in the world where a user can access an internet-connected
smartphone device. In January 2015, the We-Vibe 4 Plus was awarded the best couples sex toy at the Sexual Health Expo in Los Angeles. Following the revelations, a lawsuit was filed against the company, claiming the app violated its users' privacy. In March 2017, the company agreed to a settlement of approximately US$3.2 million, resulting in up to US$127 for each claimant. In 2018, We-Vibe merged with
Womanizer. ==See also==