The Financial Times is in at an impasse with Apple over talks to develop the paper’s digital strategy.

The technology giant wants to keep 30 per cent of subscription revenues and retain key customer information for digital publications bought through its app store, but the FT has launched an app that can be downloaded without Apple’s digital ‘Newsstand’ service.

FT.com‘s managing director Rob Grimshaw said discussions had reached the point of a “Mexican standoff”.

“It would be a backward step for us to go into relationships where we are denied access directly to readers. The existing business has been driven by that,” Grimshaw said. “We are also wary what we pay to third parties. With the existing model we don’t pay anything. Now while I don’t rule it out, giving away a third of the revenue is not right.”

The FT as has 200,000 online subscribers and Grimshaw believes it can develop paid-for iPhone and iPad apps with or without Apple.

(Source: MediaGuardian)

Photo taken by Flickr user Yagan Kiely, licensed under Creative Commons.

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