Jailbreak Could Boost Apple TV's Wow Factor

The Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Dev Team has proven that the Apple TV, just out of the starting gate, can indeed be jailbroken.

Generally, jailbreaking a device means developers can gain the necessary root access to develop their own apps or customizations. This particular jailbreak, via the SHAtter exploit that was first used on the iPod touch 4G, is not ready for prime time, according to the developers.

It will take more iterations and development work before consumers can being installing third-party apps on Apple TV, Rob Walch, host of Today in iPhone, told MacNewsWorld. "Right now, this is a story of 'dog catches car.' Now that he has it, what does he do next?"

That said, it is not surprising the jailbreak succeeded so quickly. The new Apple TV box runs a full version of iOS, noted Walch, which is vulnerable to the SHATtter exploit. The tool the Dev Team built for SHAtter -- Pwnage -- apparently can trick Apple TV into removing its firmware image and allowing a jailbroken image to be installed.

Jailbreakers Lead, Apple Follows

One way or another apps will be coming to Apple TV, Walch predicted. Either developers will learn how to install them via the jailbreak or Apple will allow consumers to use them on the device, or both.

It's noteworthy that iOS 4.0 contained many of the most-desirable features that users were able to add after jailbreaking 3.0, such as the customization of background images and themes, and the ability to share the iPhone screen with a Mac computer.

"I think Apple is going to allow people to run certain niche apps, like ABC or Hulu," Walch predicted.

One problem could be the interface -- Apple TV doesn't have a touchscreen, and a remote is not sufficient for what would be required. However Apple TV specs do include Bluetooth, Walch pointed out, which would support Apple's multitouch Magic Trackpad.

Google TV

Much of Apple's thinking will be influenced by what Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) does with Google TV, Walch suggested. "The hardware Apple has put in there will allow them to make a wide variety of responses to Google TV, depending on the features they release."

If competition really steps up -- either from ambitious third-party developers or Google TV -- Apple TV could become a very robust unit at only US$99, he said.

The best-case scenario -- from the perspective of the consumer, at least -- is bound to unfold, said Laura DiDio, principal of ITIC.

"Consumers are hungry for apps on a variety of Apple platforms," she told MacNewsWorld, and they don't want to wait for Apple to come through."