DoubleTwist
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Digital media software |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Monique Farantzos, Jon Lech Johansen |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Key people | Monique Farantzos (President and Chairman), Jon Lech Johansen (CEO) |
| Products | doubleTwist Music Player, doubleTwist Sync |
| Owner | Venture capital firms Index Ventures, Northzone Ventures |
doubleTwist Corporation is a digital media enterprise co-founded by Monique Farantzos (serving as President and Chairman) alongside Jon Lech Johansen, who acts as CEO. The company receives investment support from venture capital firms Index Ventures (known for backing Skype and Last.FM) and Northzone Ventures.
The doubleTwist software facilitates the sharing of photos and videos while enabling synchronization of users' media libraries across multiple portable gadgets.
Software
The doubleTwist Music Player is an Android application that supports compatibility with both iTunes and Windows Media Player. It permits users to synchronize music, movies, photos, and playlists through a USB connection. Available at no cost on Google Play, the app offers in-app purchases to unlock advanced "pro" capabilities such as "AirSync" for wireless syncing, along with support for AirPlay, UPnP/DLNA, an equalizer, album art retrieval, and removal of podcast advertisements. Certain pro functionalities are also offered individually. By June 2017, the doubleTwist Media Player version 2.8.1 had amassed between 10 million and 50 million installations.
doubleTwist Sync is a companion program for Windows necessary to perform USB synchronization, downloadable free from the official website. While resembling Apple's iTunes in overall design, it differs in elements like the positioning of album artwork. For macOS users, Android devices must support USB MSC mass storage mode; if they rely on MTP, AirSync is required to enable syncing.
Controversy
In June 2009, doubleTwist unveiled a billboard advertisement titled “The Cure for iPhone Envy” near the San Francisco Apple Store coinciding with the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference keynote address. The advertising agency installed the sign prematurely, leading BART to remove it swiftly due to violations related to lighting and background standards. Considering Apple's significant business relationship with BART, there was speculation that Apple may have played a role in the ad's removal.
Certain versions of doubleTwist include OpenCandy, which can install adware or other potentially unwanted programs unless users actively decline during setup.