Let’s dive in. Note: Both apps listed here have a Mac and PC client. The process detailed here is for the Mac client but I’ve tested the Windows ones as well and other than the install process, everything else is exactly the same. Download doubleTwist app for Mac and Windows, the free Android app for wired sync and the AirSync add on that costs just under $2 for syncing music wirelessly over Wi-Fi. doubleTwist is intelligent when it comes to iTunes pairing. Just opening the app imports your iTunes collection. It instantly imports any new playlist you make as well.
doubleTwist Wired
Step 1: Launch the doubleTwist app after connecting your phone via USB with your Mac or PC and make sure you enable Mass Storage Mode. Step 2: On the left sidebar, select your device. On this screen you can choose to either sync your entire iTunes library or selected playlists. You can also import songs from the Android device to your PC. After selecting the relevant option, click Sync and wait for doubleTwist to transfer all the media with artwork, metadata and playlists intact. You can then use the doubleTwist app or any other media player on your Phone to play the songs.
doubleTwist Wireless (Wi-Fi)
The wireless setup is really simple and you need to do it only once. Step 1: Launch the doubleTwist app on your Mac or PC and launch the doubleTwist or the AirSync app on your Phone. AirSync is just a shell app, it will open the doubleTwist app. Step 2: Slide from the left edge of the screen to bring up the sidebar. Tap Settings and in Categories open the AirSync option. Take a note of the AirSync password. Step 3: From the desktop app sidebar, select your device and enter the password we discovered in the step above and now your device will be paired. The process of syncing is the same detailed in the Wired Sync section above. Once this setup is done you don’t need to repeat it. In future, just launch the doubleTwist app on the computer and as long as your Android phone is connected to the same network, it will show up – you don’t even need to launch the app. Just select the playlists, tap Sync and watch as the songs get transferred over the air without you even touching the Android device.
iSyncr
iSyncr is doubleTwist’s chief competitor and offers the same functionality. It has a Mac and Windows client but it does not offer a free client for wired syncing. The app costs $3.99 but you can download a 14 day trial with unlimited use for playlists with under 100 songs. If you are looking for a wired option, there’s no point in buying iSyncr as doubleTwist’s free offering is rock solid. Here we will focus on the wireless sync. Step 1: Launch the Mac or Windows app and keep it running. The Mac app is a menu bar utility. It is only there to send and receive data. All the interactions take place in the Android app itself. Step 2: Open the Android app and select I want to… Sync over WiFi button. iSyncr will then scan for iSyncr desktop clients and iTunes libraries. When you spot your PC’s name tap on it. Step 3: Now, on the Android app itself, you will be shown a list of all your iTunes playlists. Tap on a playlist for more options like Sync to Default, Sync to Internal or Sync to SD Card. Choose your option. You can also select the View option to see individual songs inside a playlist but you can’t sync them one at a time. To sync your entire iTunes library, select Music. Step 4: Once you are done with the selection, tap the Sync Now button at the bottom of the screen. iSync will now start syncing.
AirSync Vs iSyncr for Wireless Syncing – Which Is Better?
Let’s compare the two applications on different aspects.
Nature of Use
All the commands for syncing with doubleTwist are given on the desktop app. While with iSyncr it all happens on the Android app. This is the most fundamental difference between the two. Usually you download new music and add it to your iTunes collection all on your PC or Mac, so using a desktop app that’s as easy to use as doubleTwist makes sense. You don’t need to hunt down your phone. Open the app, press Sync and you are done. On the other hand if you keep your PC turned on all the time and use your Android phone to retrieve albums as and when you want to, iSyncr can accomplish it all while you sit comfortably on the couch.
Speed
I made a test playlist of 27 songs from The Beatles album One I bought from iTunes store. The album is 181.3 MB in size and it took 1 minute and 45 seconds to sync it via iSyncr while the exact same operation was done via doubleTwist AirSync in just 59 seconds. That’s a little more than half the time. Impressive if you ask me.
The Winner – doubleTwist AirSync
For wirelessly syncing songs from iTunes on your Mac or PC to your Android phone, the winner in my books is doubleTwist AirSync because the desktop app is incredibly easy to use, doesn’t require any use of the Android phone, is almost twice as fast as iSyncr but costs half of that. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
