Is it legal to distribute a GPLv3 licensed binary through the apples’ app store

appstoregpllicensingmac

I wrote a small multiplatform app and I am considering publishing the osx version in apple store. I've licensed the app under a GPLv3 license.

I sort of like the GPLv3 license but I also like the easiness of apple store. I'm worried about the GPL's "freedom to distribute a copy" requirement – which seems to be incompatible with apple store policies (I think there is a line that states that downloads are for personal use only).

Is this a valid concern? Can I meet the requirements of the GPL by distributing the osx binary at the same place as the source, since I can't do it in the apple store? Or is this forbidden by the apple store policy (it seems to require that apple store software be downloadable only from apple store)?

edit

By apple store I mean mac app store (gpl is not compatible with iPhone's app store).

edit 2

I add a good clarification to the accepted answer from the comments by Abhi Beckert:

So, if you wrote all the code yourself then you do whatever you want
including releasing it on the Mac/iPhone App Stores. If you didn't
write all the code, then you need permission from anyone who ever
wrote even one line. All of the GPL apps which have been pulled, were
pulled because one (or more) of the developers demanded that it be
taken down. Once that happens, Apple must pull it, or they'd face
criminal charges

And in practice: remove all mercurial changesets that are not yours and make the program work after that (or ask for approval from the person who wrote the changeset).

Best Answer

If you own 100% of the code in your application, (like in the iRail example you linked to) then you can dual-license the code: one for AppStore and one for everybody else.

If you don't own 100% of the (i.e. you make use of GPL third-party libraries) then you also need to get permission of those copyright-holders, and you need to get a new license from them before you can put it on the AppStore.

Note that not all open source licenses have the same restrictions as the GPL. I believe BSD, MIT and some other licenses would be compatible. (but IANAL)

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