AfterDawn: News

VLC app pulled from Apple iOS store

Apple has pulled the popular VLC media player application from the iOS App Store, following an argument over the GPL with VLC developer Rémi Denis-Courmont.

Denis-Courmont had filed a lawsuit against Apple in late 2010.



Under a standard GNU General Public License (GPL), VLC is available for Macs, Windows and Linux machines for free, and while it was free for iOS, the open-source nature of the application was compromised by Apple.

Says Free Software Federation's Brett Smith (via PCM):

The GPL gives Apple permission to distribute this software through the App Store. All they would have to do is follow the license's conditions to help keep the software free. Instead, Apple has decided that they prefer to impose Digital Restrictions Management (DRM) and proprietary legal terms on all programs in the App Store.

Denis-Courmont had charged Apple with copyright infringement in the suit filed October 26th, but the app remained in the store until yesterday.

Writes the developer of the decision (via VLC):

On January 7th, Apple removed VLC media player from its application store for iDevices. Thus the incompatibility between the GNU General Public License and the AppStore terms of use is resolved - the hard way. This end should not have come to a surprise to anyone, given the precedents.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 8 Jan 2011 18:26

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• 27 comments

• Deadrum33

  When i built a hackintosh, VLC was the first thing i DL'd since crapple QuickTime don't play shite!
  Beside, who cares about the app store, just go to VLC website and DL it!
  

  
  
  http://www.myspace.com/livingdeadband

  8.1.2011 18:46 #1

• Frogfart

  SHIT! Rotten to the core.

  8.1.2011 19:54 #2

• Zealousi

  This is why VLC is the best media player and Quicktime and just suck it, no one uses it LOL.
  
  Go VLC....Been a huge supporter for years.
  

  8.1.2011 23:56 #3

• flyingpen

  This doesn't surprise you at all. Just another example of Apple's Bullshit. I do not nor will I ever own anything for Apple. Period.
  

  Carpe Noctem

  9.1.2011 01:19 #4

• ThePastor

  VLC is FREE and Apple can't get their shiat straight!
  
  Apple would screw up a wet dream....
  

  Unfortunately for them, all Blu-ray protections have been broken and BD rips can be found around the Internet, usually before the retail even hits shelves.

  9.1.2011 02:55 #5

• elbald90

  Originally posted by flyingpen: This doesn't surprise you at all. Just another example of Apple's Bullshit. I do not nor will I ever own anything for Apple. Period. i wholly agree with you
  

  9.1.2011 05:55 #6

• ZippyDSM

  LOL you can't make a free player run DRM you nut jobs!
  
  
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  9.1.2011 08:29 #7

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by kyung: For those that are blaming Remi on this issue, you're basically saying that pirating OSX and not respecting it's EULA is okay.
  
  Because all he did was pointing out that what was being done is ILLEGAL and therefore should be removed because of non compliance of a well known and long estabilished license.
  
  
  spam edited by ddp pirating OSX or buying it installing it on a computer and selling the computer?
  *rolls eyes*

  9.1.2011 08:35 #8

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by kyung: And this is why I hate the GPL and refuse to license my code under it. All the more reason to jailbreak the Icrap...I still have not jailbroken my touch yet >>
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  9.1.2011 08:42 #9

• Adamantus

  Well I suppose with a name like "App Store" you can't really expect anything to be free. I've always felt anything Apple is proprietary as you can get, hence buying a Android phone.

  9.1.2011 09:15 #10

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Adamantus: Well I suppose with a name like "App Store" you can't really expect anything to be free. I've always felt anything Apple is proprietary as you can get, hence buying a Android phone. There's plenty of free stuff on it its just annoying that apple has to force everything through the app store.

  9.1.2011 10:30 #11

• simpsim

  There are many "Free" Apps in the iOS App Store (As in Zero price), but thanks to Apple's insistence on DRM wrapping everything, there is no truly "Free" software (Free as in freedom).
  
  It's worth noting that whilst Apple have an extremely restrictive system which is designed to maximise the profit margins using their "Trusted" computing model (Something that we'll see more of in future I'm sure), they do however allow the use of open source in Apps that it approves. Thus the two types of software (Free and Proprietary code) are able to co-exist side by side.
  
  The problem is two fold and starts with the Gnu General Public License Version 3. It expressly forbids allowing any future incarnation of a program created under its license to be subjected to DRM restrictions, which is exactly what happens in the App Store. Apple meanwhile expressly forbid (Via the restrictions in place on their devices) any program from running without Apple's encryption and signing.
  
  So this now becomes a two sided argument, which thanks to the inflexibility of both Apple and the GPLv3, means that a perfectly useful program will now be denied to the masses.
  
  True democracy at work folks.

  9.1.2011 16:27 #12

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: LOL you can't make a free player run DRM you nut jobs!
  
  VLC plays numerous DRM'd file types.
  

  9.1.2011 22:05 #13

• juventini

  Originally posted by elbald90: Originally posted by flyingpen: This doesn't surprise you at all. Just another example of Apple's Bullshit. I do not nor will I ever own anything for Apple. Period. i wholly agree with you Amen!

  10.1.2011 02:16 #14

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Originally posted by ZippyDSM: LOL you can't make a free player run DRM you nut jobs!
  
  VLC plays numerous DRM'd file types. Ya but apples DRM would only let it play apple DRM files thus making it pointless to haz. (stop spoiling my fun with facts damnit :P)

  10.1.2011 10:02 #15

• plazma247

  HA HA HA, lmfao
  
  Funny how this comes a few weeks before the first VLC build hits the android store:
  
  http://www.intomobile.com/2010/12/27/vlc-player-android/
  
  Oh well, just another good reason for people to drop ios and start making friends with the little green guy......!

  13.1.2011 07:16 #16

• tropolite

  Never liked Apple and never will...
  
  Rémi, the developer, makes his hard work on VLC freely available to all and for an App Store to screw that up - well that is just idiotic to say the least.
  
  Even though Apple 'looks' delicious it is filled with poison - just ask Snow White...

  13.1.2011 08:53 #17

• Gnawnivek

  Wow, this is messed up, it's a free app and yet it's pulled :(

  13.1.2011 09:25 #18

• plazma247

  Whats more its not been pulled because the software breaks apples stringent terms of the app store as far as i can tell.
  
  This is more a case of them breaking the GPL licence and a real test case.
  
  Apples arguments is its just a distribution system and if people wanted the source is full at hand. However the drm system does effectivly recompress and encodes with the drm system to changes the code and breaks DRM, its a real test case.
  
  Looks like steves if you want porn get an android phone now extends to:
  
  If you want porn, flash, decent video play back of virtually any video type, teathering without root, shall i go on... or just get an android phone.
  
  Go on its ok... sound like steve says if you want these things the iphones not for you.

  13.1.2011 09:39 #19

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by plazma247: Whats more its not been pulled because the software breaks apples stringent terms of the app store as far as i can tell.
  
  This is more a case of them breaking the GPL licence and a real test case.
  
  Apples arguments is its just a distribution system and if people wanted the source is full at hand. However the drm system does effectivly recompress and encodes with the drm system to changes the code and breaks DRM, its a real test case.
  
  Looks like steves if you want porn get an android phone now extends to:
  
  If you want porn, flash, decent video play back of virtually any video type, teathering without root, shall i go on... or just get an android phone.
  
  Go on its ok... sound like steve says if you want these things the iphones not for you. Have they made something to take an apple app and play it on anything else? if so then Android here I comezzzz..... :P
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2011 09:47 #20

• plazma247

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Originally posted by plazma247: Whats more its not been pulled because the software breaks apples stringent terms of the app store as far as i can tell.
  
  This is more a case of them breaking the GPL licence and a real test case.
  
  Apples arguments is its just a distribution system and if people wanted the source is full at hand. However the drm system does effectivly recompress and encodes with the drm system to changes the code and breaks DRM, its a real test case.
  
  Looks like steves if you want porn get an android phone now extends to:
  
  If you want porn, flash, decent video play back of virtually any video type, teathering without root, shall i go on... or just get an android phone.
  
  Go on its ok... sound like steve says if you want these things the iphones not for you. Have they made something to take an apple app and play it on anything else? if so then Android here I comezzzz..... :P lol no not the same appz, most of them for eg angry birds is free to all on droid :)

  13.1.2011 10:45 #21

• Mr-Movies

  Nothing new here same old Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. doing what they do best.
  
  BRIEF HISTORY
  Apple has been high buck proprietary crap since the 1980’s. You’ve always been able to do more for less with other platforms then any Apple product, yet people still buy their junk. In the early days the PC to go with was the Amiga but unfortunately Businesses followed Gates, the other famous duo crook, and Amiga didn’t help themselves with poor arrogant support. The one good thing about MS based PC’s was that with exception to IBM, and we’ve seen what happened to them, they were mostly Open Standard machines which made the market competitive and lowered the price for the consumers. Apple has only stayed alive because the Artsy group have embraced them otherwise Apple wouldn’t exist today. So why it is that Apple keeps re-baking other peoples products and people flock to them like they were the first to come up with the new iCrap? I would never use iTunes or buy music from the Apple store, why would I want to pay for music that I can’t use as I wish? Yet look at all of the people that do just that. I understand why kids might do that, they haven’t learned yet but why is it that so many adults do this, it can only be laziness.
  
  IN CLOSING
  Apple could have avoided this issue with VLC but in the long run they won’t lose because no matter what happens people will still buy their crap. It is nice to see them open up the iPhone to other services than AT&T it shows they are worried about their proprietary ways, somewhat, and the fact that the Droids are doing so well, forcing the issue.
  
  

  13.1.2011 13:51 #22

• Gnawnivek

  Laziness is correct... I hate people ask stupid questions, so many times I just want to answer back "well, look for an app to do that, there got to be one." Hey, if they're lazy to find the answer, why should I be the one researching for them right?
  

  Peace!

  13.1.2011 14:02 #23

• WAG66

  Originally posted by Mr-Movies: Nothing new here same old Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. doing what they do best.
  
  BRIEF HISTORY
  Apple has been high buck proprietary crap since the 1980’s. You’ve always been able to do more for less with other platforms then any Apple product, yet people still buy their junk. In the early days the PC to go with was the Amiga but unfortunately Businesses followed Gates, the other famous duo crook, and Amiga didn’t help themselves with poor arrogant support. The one good thing about MS based PC’s was that with exception to IBM, and we’ve seen what happened to them, they were mostly Open Standard machines which made the market competitive and lowered the price for the consumers. Apple has only stayed alive because the Artsy group have embraced them otherwise Apple wouldn’t exist today. So why it is that Apple keeps re-baking other peoples products and people flock to them like they were the first to come up with the new iCrap? I would never use iTunes or buy music from the Apple store, why would I want to pay for music that I can’t use as I wish? Yet look at all of the people that do just that. I understand why kids might do that, they haven’t learned yet but why is it that so many adults do this, it can only be laziness.
  
  IN CLOSING
  Apple could have avoided this issue with VLC but in the long run they won’t lose because no matter what happens people will still buy their crap. It is nice to see them open up the iPhone to other services than AT&T it shows they are worried about their proprietary ways, somewhat, and the fact that the Droids are doing so well, forcing the issue.
  Amen!

  13.1.2011 17:35 #24

• Bozobub

  It's nice to see any big dev - Apple, here - take on right on the kisser vis-a-vis DRM. THis is all due to arrogance and laziness on Apple's part; too lazy to change their blanket DRM policy, too arrogant to see a need.
  
  Suck it up, Apploids. Enjoy that exquisitely safe, exquisitely boring walled garden.

  14.1.2011 09:36 #25

• PierreLeo

  Whenever I think of or hear the name 'Steve Jobs', that horrible malevolent little stick creature from Rupert The Bear comes to mind. Raggety was his name. Always trying to cast evil spells that usually went wrong for him. Jobs is anti-everything that the internet originally was supposed to be; something that belonged to the same people that used it. Brilliant pieces of software like VLC, GIMP, and thousands of other free 'apps' (God how I've come to hate that term) can't exist in the world as he sees it should be. I can't for the life of me see how people can be blind enough to follow his lead.

  28.3.2011 18:43 #26

• xboxdvl2

  they basically took something that was free ,put an apple label on it and started charging people for something they didnt own or develope.apple are robbing people.
  

  married to my car and computer.both of them have problems.

  29.3.2011 03:17 #27