WireGuard Is Now Available From Apple's App Store

[phoronix]

Phoronix: WireGuard Is Now Available From Apple's App Store

While the WireGuard kernel module still hasn't been mainlined, it is becoming easier to use on other platforms. After some trialing outside of the app store, WireGuard for iOS devices is now available through the Apple App Store...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=WireGuard-iOS-App-Store

[stormcrow]

It is. GPL v2 per the WireGuard website.

[macemoneta]

We have it running 24x7 off a Raspberry Pi for all our mobile (Android, Chromebook) devices. It's great, exceptionally stable, and completely transparent; it just works. If you're used to other VPNs (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPsec) the sub-second speed to establish a functioning connection can can be surprising. This is the setup I used:

https://github.com/adrianmihalko/raspberrypiwireguard

[zxy_thf]

It is. GPL v2 per the WireGuard website.

Surprised. I thought Apple bans all GPLs apps from their store.

[macemoneta]

Surprised. I thought Apple bans all GPLs apps from their store.

It's not that Apple bans the apps, it's that the restrictions of their app store are incompatible with the GPL, by imposing additional restrictions:

"In addition, Apple has removed software licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) from App Store, due to text in Apple's Terms of Service agreement imposing digital rights management and proprietary legal terms incompatible with the terms of the GPL"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/App_Store_(iOS)

While the WireGuard protocol core is GPLv2 licensed, the IOS app is MIT licensed:

https://git.zx2c4.com/wireguard-ios/about/

[wizard69]

Surprised. I thought Apple bans all GPLs apps from their store.

Last I knew GPL2 apps aren’t banned. That could have changed. What has happened is that nasty open source developers have forced the removal of apps from the AppStore. This happened with VLC though I’m not sure how it was resolved.

[macemoneta]

This happened with VLC though I’m not sure how it was resolved.

VLC's IOS app is dual licensed: GPLv2 and MPLv2. As a result, license compliance for Apple is not a problem.

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-ios.html

[starshipeleven]

Last I knew GPL2 apps aren’t banned. That could have changed. What has happened is that nasty open source developers have forced the removal of apps from the AppStore. This happened with VLC though I’m not sure how it was resolved.

GPL conflicts with the App store terms of service as the latter specifically states that the user can't take and redistribute the app on his own (because they want to keep the walled garden "walled", you know). While this is specifically granted by the GPL, just as you can redistribute freely the source you can redistribute the binary. So using GPL is not allowed. They may or may not enforce this (to their discretion), but it's not a good idea to push it.

And no it was Apple that removed VLC from the app store, not "nasty opensource developers".

[zx2c4]

I thought wireguard app was GPL licensed

https://git.zx2c4.com/wireguard-ios/tree/COPYING contains the MIT license.