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Part 3  Implementation

FT.com HTML5 mobile site, it’s not a native mobile app

The FT does a great job in explaining the benefits of non-OS apps (Figure 11.22). Under the heading, ‘a 

better, faster app’, the FT explains these benefits:

● 

Web browser access – No app store download needed.

● 

Automatic enhancements – No need to visit an app store for the latest version.

● 

Reading offline – The latest edition is automatically stored for offline access (this is possible with native OS 

apps).

● 

Speed – Improved performance on most connections.

● 

Greater range of content – Including video on iPhone – this gets around the problem of Flash players.

● 

Use your existing account – no additional registration required.

Of course, the other big benefit for publishers, not mentioned here, is that they can take a bigger share of 

subscription revenues. The app was launched in June 2011 in response to Apple’s introduction of new rules 

governing  subscription-  based iOS apps – Apple is looking for a 30% cut of subscription revenues for people 

signing up from its native app and keeping access to those subscribers.

Rob Grimshaw of FT.com told 

The Guardian (2013) that switching to HTML5 wasn’t just about a spat with 

Apple, but was an attempt to ensure that the FT could scale quickly across different devices and platforms: 

‘The origins of the web app come from thinking more broadly about our mobile strategy, and particularly 

how we are going to cope with developing for numerous different platforms,’ he said. ‘There are at least five 

[native mobile platforms] out there that you reasonably have to cover, and a web app is the obvious solution. 

We just accelerated it because of some of the things Apple did with their subscriptions.’

Figure 11.22

FT.com mobile app proposition

Source: www.app.ft.com Financial Times, © The Financial Times Limited. All Rights 

Reserved.

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Chapter 11  Analysis and design