VIDEO INTERVIEW: Despite being a less-than-perfect technology, HTML5 has been very effective in meeting the objectives of the Financial Times (FT), according to John O’Donovan, CTO of the publisher.

In a video interview with Mobile World Live, O’Donovan said the FT mobile app – which runs on HTML5 – has been “very successful” and now has five million users.

“We have invested [in the app] and worked through the problems,” he said. “HTML5 isn’t perfect – anyone who doesn’t admit that would be a fool – but it’s important when looking at the platforms you want to get content to.”

The FT mobile app is often seen as a forerunner of its type. Capable of being accessed from different devices and different platforms through a web browser, O’Donovan sees this as a key advantage

“Consumers are fed up of trying to finds apps that are in one store and not in another,” he said. “HTML5 offers us the ability to be consistent across all platforms and devices.”

But having a successful app is not all about technology. O’Donovan said a critical aspect of monetising digital content is how apps are promoted and branded. “How do you tell people how to get the app, or how to put it on their home screen so they can use it offline? All the app features come to life when you do that,” he said.

Watch the full video interview here.