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Can I use a source code, that falls under GPL3 license, in the iOS app without providing the code publicly?
Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 12:09 pm
by Mikael
Hi, I'm app developer and with my team we're planning to build a VPN app, which would use OpenVPN binary (licensed under GPL). We did our research and have discovered an iOS app that uses OpenVPN binary licensed under GPL3, however the developer is not providing app's source code neither publicly nor when asked privately. Doesn't it violate the licence agreement in some way? Also how can it be listed for purchase in the iTunes/ App store for that matter? Does that mean, that anyone can develop and publish an app the same way, or perhaps is this some sort "off the table" agreement between concerned parties? Would appreciate your opinion!
Re: Can I use a source code, that falls under GPL3 license, in the iOS app without providing the code publicly?
Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 7:48 pm
by ordex
Here I can only explain what I know:
* Apple does not want any app in the appstore to be licensed under GPL (this is why some famous FOSS apps are re-licensed before being submitted);
* shipping a binary within an app does not affect the license of the whole app (so you can ship a "GPL binary" into a non-GPL app while keeping the non-GPL license)
* if the GPL software is modified before being shipped as binary, then also the changes are expected to be shipped (otherwise it would violate the GPL)
To my understanding, if the app you are talking about is shipping the binary of a *modified* version of OpenVPN, then they are expected to also ship the changes (OpenVPN changes).
However, there is no reason why they should deliver the source code of the app.