UPDATE: Although it has been confirmed by @MuscleNerd that evasi0n would support Apple TV 2, it seems that it doesn’t. Based on earlier news from evad3rs team, we believed their jailbreak was compatible with Apple TV 2 when publishing the below post just a few minutes after evasi0n went live. We are very sorry for causing confusion. We now have to wait for Seas0nPass to be updated with iOS 6.x support for Apple TV 2. We believe it won’t take long.

UPDATE 2: How to jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.2 (iOS 6.1) using Seas0nPass (untethered; Mac & Windows)

Evad3rs, a group of four top iOS hackers (@pod2g, @musclenerd, @pimskeks and @planetbeing) has just released a long-awaited evasi0n jailbreak for all iDevices running iOS 6.0 through 6.1, that include Apple TV 2 running software version 5.1, 5.1.1 or the latest 5.2. This is an untethered jailbreak, meaning you will be able to reboot your Apple TV without attaching it to a computer. Evasi0n jailbreak doesn’t support Apple TV 3 (however, there is some hope that it will in the future).

Here are the direct download links:

• evasi0n jailbreak for Mac OS X
• evasi0n jailbreak for Windows
• evasi0n jailbreak for Linux

Official mirrors.

Requirements:

• 5 minutes of your time
• A computer running Windows (XP minimum), Mac OS X (10.5 minimum) or Linux (x86 / x86_64)
• An Apple TV 2 running iOS 6.0 through 6.1 (Apple TV firmware 5.1 through 5.2)
• A micro USB cable to connect ATV to the computer

Apple TV 2 running iOS 5.x (atv software version 5.0.2 and earlier) can be jailbroken using Seas0npass.

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Update: MuscleNerd has just confirmed that Apple TV 2 will be covered by the iOS 6.1 jailbreak.

iOS hacker @MuscleNerd has confirmed on Twitter that the upcoming untethered iOS 6.1 jailbreak will support all iOS 6.1 compatible devices, except Apple TV 3. If Apple releases a software update for Apple TV 2 in time, which MuscleNerd claims is very likely, this device will also be supported. Untethered jailbreak for iOS 6.1 is expected to be released by evad3rs team just after Apple releases the latest version of its mobile OS to the public.

Asked if the upcoming iOS 6.1 jailbreak will support Apple TV 3, MuscleNerd responded:

@arovik nope, sorry. In fact unless Apple pushes a final atv2 in time, it may not apply there either (*very* likely they will though)

— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) January 28, 2013

@unicornhacker yes, every other 6.1 device variation will be supported. All TWENTY-TWO of them (omg!). Plus atv2 if it’s out in time.

— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) January 28, 2013

Hopefully, according to the hacker, there is still some hope for those desperately waiting for the Apple TV 3 jailbreak:

@arovik not necessarily.Although atv3 uses far fewer services that can be tampered with, it’s not isolated.But it can’t use this next JB

— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) January 28, 2013

@sigboe that’s a valid area to be looking for atv3.And it certainly uses WebKit too for iTunes Store, Hulu logins etc.More esoteric tho

— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) January 28, 2013

@sigboe my gut feeling though is that the code behind Photo Stream is riddled with bugs that might be useful on atv3

— MuscleNerd (@MuscleNerd) January 28, 2013

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ to be first to know when the untethered iOS 6.1 jailbreak and Apple TV 3 jailbreak come out.

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

Finally! Apple TV 2 is getting some support inside of the next redsn0w release. Though it is still in the works, and there is only a developers version available, Twitter has begun to buzz with the sound of well known jailbreaking, iOS, and Apple TV devs talking Apple TV support in redsn0w. At the moment it is not entirely clear what the end product will be regarding its functionality and features offered to the Apple TV 2.

The fact is that for years I have hated having to go from one jailbreaking software to another depending on my device. For me, I used redsn0w for all of my iOS devices (until the iPad 2). It is not to say that the work of the developers around the world has not been appreciated… because IT HAS, but I look forward to getting all of the things I need in one comfortable little bundle.

Read the conversational highlights:

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

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Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!

In the past day or so the new iPad, or the iPad 3, has been jailbroken multiple times using numerous exploits… yet according to MuscleNerd the new 1080p Apple TV 3 is not going to be as easy. The famous iOS hacker tweeted that “Apple’s least expensive iOS device (new AppleTV3,1) will likely be the most secure of the bunch”. That’s mainly because geohot’s limera1n bootrom exploit, used to jailbreak Apple TV 2, doesn’t apply to ATV3.

For those of you who remember the “Great Jailbreak Depression of 2011″, you will also recall that it seemed like our iPad 2 would never be unchained from Apples, ever controlling, grip. Eventually patience, and the never ending work by our developer community, led us to the glorious 5.0 jailbreak! This will be the case with the Apple TV 3, but like the iPad 2, this may take a while.

That said, this news has not come as a great surprise to me and it shouldn’t shock you either. Similar moves were taken by Boxee when releasing the Boxee Box. When these companies officially begin partnering with Content Providers their software must become more “secure”. Granted, Apple has had partners for a LONG TIME, but I take all of this as a good sign of what’s to come. I mean, have you seen the article about their new remote?

That said… hack on MuscleNerd… HACK ON!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on Apple TV 3 jailbreak status.

umOuch (Andrew Brasher)

You may also want to read:
Apple patent reveals advanced TV remote
AirServer 4.2 released, optimized for iPad 3
aTV Flash (black) 1.4 for Apple TV 2 released
Munster: Apple TV set will be the biggest thing in consumer electronics since the smartphone

Visit What's on iPhone for the best iPad and iPhone app reviews!
Do you want to feel like a wizard? Check the Kymera wand in Amazon: You can control your Apple TV waving a wand!