New Apple TV Could Be Subject To Jailbreaking

A TV might seem an unlikely target for hackers but the impending release of the Apple TV might be the one thing that attracts amateurs and pros alike to take a shot a jailbreaking the device.

In a San Francisco event held earlier this month, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced the company's plans to launch a new version of the Apple TV box for streaming content, scheduled for release at the end of September. The new Apple TV box, which comes at a downsized price of $99, would give users access to popular TV programs for 99 cents per episode.

The new Apple TV is said to be based around the same iOS mobile operating system that powers both the iPhone and the iPad, running the same A4 processor as the iPhone 4, iPad and fourth generation iPod touch.

As such, Apple's new TV box could be subjected to the same jailbreaking hacks that can be executed on its other mobile devices, which would give users the power to alter its operating system in order to install software not approved by the Cupertino-based company. While jailbreaking would free the device to run additional software, it also eradicates any chance users could have to access vendor support or maintenance.

However, one deterrent to would-be hackers is that the new Apple TV might primarily be a streaming device, with limited storage capabilities, and little ability to run current iOS apps, according to Apple Insider. That could change down the road, however, if Apple were to enhance the new device's on-board storage limits, which could give the hacking community an incentive to run a variety of custom apps.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the blogosphere is running with the idea that an Apple TV jailbreak might not be in the too distant future, contending that it would be hard for the hacking community to resist the challenge of liberating an Apple device.