Cover Lockscreen
The right apps at the right time. Only for Android..
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Cover, an ambitious startup in the mobile technology space, developed a lock screen replacement application for Android devices. The company was founded in 2013 by former Google and Facebook product manager Todd Jackson, along with Gordon Luk and Edward Ho. Their venture was backed by notable investors, including First Round Capital, Harrison Metal Capital, and Max Levchin.
The business operated on a direct-to-consumer model, offering a free application on the Google Play store that aimed to enhance the user experience of Android phones. Cover's core product was a context-aware lock screen that intelligently surfaced the most relevant applications based on the user's location (home, work, or car) and time of day. This was achieved by learning user behavior and adapting the shortcuts presented on the lock screen for quick access. Key features included "peeking," which allowed users to get a quick glimpse of an app without fully unlocking the device, and a novel app-switching capability. The business model intended to eventually generate revenue through app promotion and by licensing the software to mobile handset manufacturers.
Within six months of its beta launch in October 2013, the application attracted hundreds of thousands of users. This rapid traction and the underlying contextual technology drew significant market attention, culminating in the company's acquisition by Twitter in April 2014 for an undisclosed amount. Following the acquisition, the co-founders and their team joined Twitter to integrate their expertise in contextual mobile experiences into Twitter's Android development. While the standalone Cover app remained available on the Google Play Store for a period post-acquisition, its independent development ceased as the team's focus shifted to new projects within Twitter.
Keywords: Cover lockscreen, contextual lock screen, Android app, mobile personalization, smart lockscreen, Todd Jackson, Gordon Luk, Edward Ho, app discovery, contextual awareness, mobile user experience, Android customization, Twitter acquisition, mobile utility, smart settings, app shortcuts, predictive technology, First Round Capital, Harrison Metal Capital, Max Levchin