Apple CEO Steve Jobs may have blinked in his tug-of-war with magazine publishers over how paid subscriptions are sold through the iTunes store.

Starting in July, Hearst plans to start selling subscriptions to Esquire, O, the Oprah Magazine and Popular Mechanics, becoming the first publisher to put multiple title offerings on iTunes.

But the big question is how much consumer information will automatically pass from Apple to the publisher.

One inside source insisted that it was “sharing of all data” arrangement, while rival publishers remained skeptical.

“I’d be surprised if there was not some kind of opt-in component to the subscription,” said one Hearst rival.

In February, Apple said it would let publishers sell subscriptions via the iTunes store, but only a small handful moved to embrace it, including the independently owned Nylon, the Hachette Filipacchi flagship Elle and Bonnier Corp.’s Popular Science.

The big stumbling block then was that Apple would not turn over detailed consumer information, such as addresses and credit-card information, unless the consumer checked an “opt in” choice on its subscription order specifically okaying the information turnover.

Most publishers stayed away because mining consumer data information was a major part of their industry. It was used for database marketing for its advertisers and sold to other media companies interested in reaching consumers with shared attributes and interests.

Hearst was not offering specifics on its consumer data deal with Apple. A spokesman for Apple declined to comment.

Hearst said it will offer subscriptions for $19.99 a piece for the titles, while offering single-copy issues at $1.99.