The Financial Times is turning towards HTML5 for its upcoming application (technically, a web app), in contrast to its older native iOS app. FT was not happy with the new subscription model offered by Apple, and was working with Apple to keep the revenue and demographic information from its 590,000 website subscribers. These negotiations must have been rocky as the Financial Times is now releasing a web-based application instead of a platform-specific application.
The UK-based business newspaper is looking to HTML5 to deliver its content to multiple platforms using a single app instead of multiple apps. Mobile chief Steve Pinches points to the convenience of developing one application using a single development environment.
Though it may be easier to deploy and make changes, the Financial Times faces the challenge of teaching people how to setup a homescreen shortcut to the app and how to use an app that runs in a web browser. Initial responses from our readers to the new FT web app are mixed (slow loading and poor responsiveness are the primary complaints).
Financial Times launches HTML5 web app originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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