Looks like not everyone wants to pay Apple 30% to publish content on iTunes. We all knew it is possible to bypass iTunes and publish content but I guess either big boys are scared or ignorant.
Financial Times, FT has bypassed the norm and has launched the HTML5 Web App that works across all platforms that support HTML5, which means most of the major mobile platforms today. But Financial Times admit that the app has been optimized for iPhone and iPad, for now. But Android and Blackberry readiness is not far away. FT also mentions that it is far easier this way than making a few different Native Apps.
Despite the difficulties in developing HTML5 apps due to the technology being new and the lack of documentation and tool, industry pundits say that the app was well developed and is as good as the native app. But the difference is FT is able to drive customers to the web app by advertising and other means and be able to track the conversations. Which is impossible with the apps on Apple store.
Not having to pay Apple Tax was not mentioned but you can read it in the following statement;
“The FT Web App offers our customers flexibility and freedom of choice with access to our global journalism anytime, anywhere, with a single login or subscription. In a world of increasingly digital complexity we want to keep our service simple, easy to use and efficient to offer our customers the best possible experience of FT journalism.”
The app seems to have been well thought out and features like offline access, auto update of the app is able to access information generated, just for the tablets.
Future upgrade, "Clippings" service will allow users to read articles later, either on the mobile device or desktop PC.
Accessing content is free up to ten articles per month if one registers.
Apple's Publisher tax will kick in soon alongside the requirement that subscribers sign in through Apple store!
FT via Techcrunch
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