You're correct that I was refering to GPL s/w being able to run on "consumer devices".
But to your first point:
I'm not a lawyer (thankfully), but my interpretation of GPL: that the s/w source must be published if the s/w is "distributed", would require the source of SaaSS s/w to be published, since the "service" is distributing that s/w.
If it's running on their machine, they're not distributing it; users don't actually receive the software to run themselves and are instead making requests to a server that is running the software. (Client software would be different, of course.) I am also not a lawyer so perhaps take with a grain of salt.
But to your first point:
I'm not a lawyer (thankfully), but my interpretation of GPL: that the s/w source must be published if the s/w is "distributed", would require the source of SaaSS s/w to be published, since the "service" is distributing that s/w.
Is that not correct?