The Financial Times today has launched a browser based application that self-updates with new content and is considered a first by a major news publisher.
The FT Web App, built using HTML5 technology, features continual and automatic content downloads and improvements. It ensures that FT customers can access FT content anytime, anywhere, on a PC and multiple devices, with one login and one subscription payment
One of the great aspects on this new service is that it is not an app you would download from the Android Market. Many tablets simply do not have access to the market and it’s good to see a company not alienating a large user base. Currently the application is optimized for the iPad and the iPhone, but more tablets and phones will be added in the near future.
One of the factors that the company is boasting about with this new application is that it bypasses Apple’s App store. One of the main complaints with advertisers is that since Apple now handles all of the billing for ebooks, magazines, and newspapers, is that they loose the analytical aspect of the business. This means that important information such as postal codes, age, and demographic information is retained by Apple and not shared with the publication. With the advent of this methodology of a browser based application means it circumvents Apples policy while being iPad compliant.
The Financial Times new online browser based model allows users to access ten free articles a month, across any device, after a free registration. A subscription is needed to access more than ten articles a month. Users will need to register to access free FT content during the week of launch.
More information about the FT Web App can be found at: www.ft.com/ftapp
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
