Is the GPLv2 compatible with the iOS App Store and Android Market? [closed]

Question

I never wrote an iphone/android application. These days I'm planning to help a friend in doing that.

The application is a sort of Ebook: a simple application to browse with the phone the contents of my friend's copyrighted book. I would like to realize that spending less time as possible. The application logic is very simple, much of the efforts regards contents and graphics. But my needing is that the look and feel of the app would be the same for both android and iphone platform.

To achieve these goals (write it fast and share the look and feel upon different OS) I'm thinking about using a GPL 2.0 licensed library. For doing that I must respect both GPL license and my friend's copyright upon book and related images. So I would like to know 2 things:

1. Is an application written using GPL 2.0 libraries compatible with Android and iphone market places? Can I sell it on these markets?

2. I know that if I use a GPL 2.0 licensed software I must release my application source code too (and I'll do it, of course). But what about the contents? Must they be released for free too? I mean , can I put my GPL 2.0 app on that stores (publishing the code somewhere , like my website) while keeping the book's content and the images proprietary and available only buying the application through the market?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

First things first: IANAL.

• As others mentioned already GPL and Apple's App Store license model are not compatible with each other. (Explained here: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/no-gpl-apps-for-apples-app-store/8046) LGPL should work fine, just take care of the details explained for example here: http://multinc.com/2009/08/24/compatibility-between-the-iphone-app-store-and-the-lgpl/

• Google Play and GPL works fine, as google does not care about your other distribution channels and you should have no problem at all with the android market.

• Lastly, no your content does not need to be released for free, just the source code, not the resources this code is using.

Answer 2

Apple's App Store isn't compatible with the GPL, as mentioned above. Also, Google Play is compatible with the GPL, as mentioned.

However, it's worth mentioning that some people interpret the GPLv3 "anti-tivoization" (Richard Stallman: "Tivoization means computers contain GPL-covered software that you can't change, because the appliance shuts down if it detects modified software") rules to prohibit distribution on Google Play. Many people believe it's okay, however, because you don't need a Google Play Developer account to install apps on Android, therefore people can modify your source and use those modifications without your private keys. Personally, I believe it's okay to distribute Google Play apps under the GPLv3 without releasing keys, because sideloading should prevent "tivoization." However, IANAL and this has never been tested in a court of law.

This, of course, doesn't apply to the Apple App Store, and even if there were no other problems with the GPL and the App Store, you'd have to distribute your private keys along with your source code so people could install your modifications (as iOS doesn't let you sideload apps), which Apple's ToS prohibits.

As for assets, keep in mind many older id games (up to and including id Tech 3 games) have source released under the GPL, but keep the assets proprietary. Many free software games do the same thing: game engine under a free software license and the assets under something else. For example, Cube and Sauerbraten both have the source code released under the zlib license, while the assets are proprietary.