VLC removed from App Store, now available on Cydia

Many iPad and iPhone owners out there were probably overjoyed when the multi-format video player VLC arrived on the iOS platform. Issues immediately appeared over the program’s licensing and there was probably only one likely outcome to the whole issue – the app has since been removed from Apple’s App Store. According to the complaint, the DRM in the App Store violated the GNU General Public License on the program and the folks behind the VLC project contacted Apple to remove the app.

The app has since been made available on Cydia, so if you’re running a jailbroken iOS device, there’s still hope yet. This does raise the issue if VLC and other similar GNU GPL-licensed apps will be available on Apple’s latest Mac App Store, though, since it should use similar DRM features too.

Matthew Chung
Categories: Apple, Cellphones
Tags: App Store, Apple Inc, drm, iOS, mac app store, vlc