This app on Apple's app store is using NewPipe's name and logo but doesn't seem to have any other connections with the real NewPipe.
Is this a real NewPipe client for iOS or not? If not, are they allowed to do that?
this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023
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Website : https://newpipe.net
Blog : https://newpipe.net/blog/
Github : https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe
Donate : https://newpipe.net/donate/
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Looks to be an iOS port of NewPipe, offering a $2.99 subcription to use.
Could be not horrible assuming it actually functions as newpipe does, but doesn't appear to be open source (found listed developers Github, no repository for this)
In terms of "are they allowed to", of course. They can take as much or as little of Newpipe as they'd like and monetize it however they like, as Newpipe is open source.
EDIT: The App Store does not facilitate releases under GPL licenses, so this is likely not acceptable behavior.
They however cannot use the trademark without the owners consent.
They're free to fork the code, but not to reuse the same name.
I couldn't find any trademark for Newpipe (i.e. in their licensing info).
Assuming none of this is a registered trademark, it should be fine?
It would be covered under "common law" trademark rights even if the name and logo were not officially registered, as long as they can reliably prove the legitimate use of the name prior to the copycat.
Ah, I figured something like retroactive protection existed but wasn't sure. Makes sense!
Bit they have to keep it open source.
It is not possible to release gpl software on the iOS App Store due to the extra licensing restrictions of apple.
That said, if you hold all the rights to the software, you can release your gpl software under a different license that is compatible with the App Store.
But it is currently violating the gpl if you take gpl software that you don’t have the ability to relicense and put it on the App Store.
I suppose the MPL is permissive enough to allow this, which makes Firefox for iOS a possibility.
https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios
I wasnt aware of that, thank you for the education!