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How Financial Times is Helping Consumers Unshackle Themselves From Apple

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Financial Times just disclosed early results behind its newly launched web application and the data suggests a shifting trend from the apps ecosystem, in which Apple’s iOS mobile platform leads, to web apps, which can be accessed from any browser on any platform. According to the publication, whose native iOS app was removed from Apple as the Financial Times did not want to play by Apple’s 30% rule for subscriptions, its web app has garnered not only more traffic than the native app that it replaces, but that readers were also clicking on more links as well.

Since the web app had debuted, Financial Times reports that there are about 700,000 visitors accessing its content through the web app. In a Reuters interview, managing director Rob Grimshaw says:

“People who are using the app are spending much more time with the content,” he said. “They are consuming about three times as many pages through the app as they are through the desktop in an average visit.”

It’s interesting to see the shiftin usage here. Apple had debuted its first smartphone in 2007 without native app support. Instead, the company heavily pushed developers to create web apps, but at the time mobile broadband technology and HTML5 was not mature enough to support the constant need for data connections. Moreover, web apps also had limitations and we didn’t have the kinds of apps, productivity tools, and graphics-intense games that we do today with native apps, and Apple had soon after changed its position and released a developer toolkit to help iOS developers create native apps, paving the way for Office productivity suites, GPS and navigation apps, and games with rich graphics that leverage various different sensors and multiplayer game play.

The success of the App Store helped revolutionize the smartphone ecosystem and developer community. Prior to Apple’s involvement, developers building for rival Windows Mobile and Palm OS platforms leveraged third-party app stores, like Handango and Pocket Gear, and those third-party app stores charged a hefty fee, sometimes hovering around 50%; Apple made it easier for consumers to access apps and charged less with a 30% cut while at the same time simplifying the transaction process for consumers by implementing a system-wide DRM that didn’t need to rely on serial numbers, complex passcodes, and other active tools for anti-piracy.

With the success of the Financial Times, there is an emerging shift that’s taking place. With content producer either unhappy with Apple’s App Store policies, or the price that Apple is charging, they are turning to open standards to release their products or content. Prior to Financial Times, Playboy had released its publication to mobile platforms by using a web app rather than  a native app due to Apple’s position against having pornographic content in its App Store.

The upside to this discussion is that consumers win with web app because you’re no longer locked into Apple’s ecosystem. Instead of buying a native app for iOS, you can just buy a web app and that web app will work on most major platforms if you decide to switch later. This way, you carry your purchases with you when you decide to change to a new platform, like from iOS to Android or Windows Phone 7, for example.

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. hassia

    09/23/2011 at 7:35 am

    There are certain apps which I find interesting and complete, however where my problems lies are due to the fact that one pays laptop prices for a phone then one has to pay for applications to better the phone experience, which I think defeats its purpose, as said users phone will be worth  over a thousand if they are one of the must have apps people. I am therefore not surprised with the development for web apps.

    I am of the opinion that the phone should be application ready out of the box. Funny enough I thin the porn industry should be the place where apps should make a killing.

    • Craigtalley53

      09/23/2011 at 6:24 pm

      FT want a sign up to see their content.I don’t like this. In fact when I see it’s FT I click the site and never look at their content. Craig

    • Craigtalley53

      09/23/2011 at 6:24 pm

      FT want a sign up to see their content.I don’t like this. In fact when I see it’s FT I click the site and never look at their content. Craig

  2. Ben

    09/24/2011 at 8:43 pm

    I have a question. A ‘Web App’, theoretically speaking (and depending on
    the type of app), could still be sold in the iTunes App Store – is this
    correct?

    I
    know the whole point of withdrawing a ‘native app’ from the app store
    (as in the case of the FT) might be done in order to avoid Apple’s 30%
    levy. But I was wondering, is it still plausible that a business or company could make their app
    available BOTH in iTunes AND outside of it? or am I missing something?

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