Apple today released a minor software update for the 3rd generation of its set-top box. Apart from the usual “general performance and stability improvements”, Apple TV 7.0.2 software update also contains the following security fixes:

• Impact: An attacker with a privileged network position may cause an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

Description: Multiple memory corruption issues existed in WebKit. These issues were addressed through improved memory handling.

• Impact: A local user may be able to execute unsigned code.

Description: A state management issue existed in the handling of Mach-O executable files with overlapping segments. This issue was addressed through improved validation of segment sizes.

• Impact: A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with system privileges.

Description: A validation issue existed in the handling of certain metadata fields of IOSharedDataQueue objects. This issue was addressed through relocation of the metadata.

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Apple today rolled out a new firmware for the 2nd and 3rd gen. Apple TV. Apple TV software update 6.2 (build 11D257c) is probably only focused on bug fixing and includes “general performance and stability improvements.”

Last week Apple added four new channels to the Apple TV (ABC News, PBS Kids, AOL On & Willow TV) along with a redesigned Flickr app.

Earlier in June, Apple released Apple TV 7 beta 1 firmware to developers. The new beta, intended to be used for “testing AirPlay with iOS apps”, also brings iCloud Family Sharing and some Continuity features to Apple TV.

Also read: WWDC 2014 and the invisible Apple TV

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Update: The new Apple TV software beta brings iCloud Family Sharing to the big screen.

Apple today released Apple TV 7 beta 1 firmware to developers. This new beta is supposed to be used for “testing AirPlay with iOS apps.” As we previously reported, one of the new iOS 8 features is the new peer-to-peer connection for AirPlaying to Apple TV.

Interestingly, the new beta software only supports Apple TV 3. Does this mean Apple will definitely drop support for Apple TV 2?

Apple TV 7 Beta 1 Known Issues
• Stuttering (dropped frames) may occur intermittently during video playback. In some cases, playback may stop.
• Apple TV may crash (return to main menu) after purchasing a music video.

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Here is what’s new in Apple TV 6.1:

• Main menu: Customize your Apple TV by hiding items from the main menu.
• AirPlay: 
  • Adds a security option to require that iOS devices or Macs be verified with a one-time, onscreen code before using AirPlay. Requires iOS 7.1 or later on an iOS device or a Mac with Mac OS X 10.9.2 or later.
  • Adds support to allow an AirPlay device to discover Apple TV over Bluetooth in environments where multicast or Bonjour traffic is blocked on the network or the AirPlay device is on a different subnet.
• Remote app: View your purchased TV shows and movies in the Remote app and tap to play them instantly on Apple TV. Create and play iTunes Radio stations. Requires Remote app version 4.2 or later.
• Stability and performance: includes general performance and stability improvements.

As always:

• if you’re on jailbroken ATV2 – stay away from this update
• if you’re on non-jailbroken ATV2 running 6.0.x – stay away from this update in case the jailbreak for Apple TV 6.0.x comes to reality (unless you have the SHSH blobs saved for 6.0.x)
• if you’re on ATV3 and still believe the Apple TV 3 jailbreak may become reality – don’t update to 6.1

Latest jailbreakable Apple TV firmware is 5.3.

We will soon have a short tutorial on how to easily hide unwanted channels/icons from the Apple TV’s main menu. Stay tuned!

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So you didn’t update your Apple TV 2 firmware to version 6.0 (iOS 7) when it came in September, hoping for a jailbreak for 5.3 software (iOS 6.1.4 – 10B809) to come sooner or later? The wait is finally over as an updated version of FireCore‘s Seas0nPass now allows for an untethered jailbreak of Apple TV 5.3 (Apple TV 2 only).

The update was possible thanks to the help from @iH8sn0w, @winocm, and @SquiffyPwn.

FireCore also revealed that “there has been some encouraging progress made on Apple TV 6.0+” (thanks to the work of @evad3rs and @nitoTV) and they hope to have more news available “soon”.

If you’re on 6.0.x but have the SHSH blobs saved for 5.3, you can use Seas0nPass to first downgrade and then jailbreak your atv2.

Here is how to jailbreak (instructions provided by FireCore):

Option 1 – if you’re already running 5.3

1. On the ATV2, navigate to Maintenance > Manage Extras
2. Install the Maintenance (2.4) update and the Click to Untether (1.2) items – restart the Apple TV when prompted.

Option 2 – to update or reinstall 5.3

1. (Optional) Navigate to Maintenance > Settings > Manage Backups and create a new backup. Double-check to ensure the backup is listed in the Restore From Backups menu.
2. Download the latest version of Seas0nPass.
3. Open and run Seas0nPass normally, to update the Apple TV to 5.3 untethered.
4. Download and run the new 2.4 version of aTV Flash (black) to reinstall.

If you’re new to aTV Flash (black) you can read our full review here.

Note: The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3.

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for all the latest Apple TV-related news.

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AllThingsD reports that “despite speculation about new Apple TV hardware on the way, Apple won’t be unveiling any new boxes next week,” but will release a new software for the second and third generation hockey pucks. That’s, as usual, “according to people familiar with the company’s plans.”

Sources said that one new feature in the works will let people who’ve bought content from Apple play that stuff on other users’ Apple TVs, via Apple’s Airplay system and Apple’s server. So if you bought a TV show or movie from Apple’s iTunes store, you could watch it at a friend’s house by calling it up on your iPhone and telling your friend’s Apple TV to start streaming it. (The files wouldn’t need to be stored on your iPhone or iPad)

The new Apple TV firmware will also bring the ability to pair your iDevice directly with your Apple TV and control it via Bluetooth. iTunes Radio and OS X Mavericks multi-display support will be added too.

According to 9to5mac’s Mark Gurman, “Apple has some Apple TV related announcements up its sleeves for the coming months, but major hardware changes aren’t expected until at least next year.” His sources say that “Apple has been working on ways to control the Apple TV (whether that be a full on display – or just a box) via motion.”

Be sure to follow Apple TV Hacks on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to be first to know when the new Apple TV software is out.

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Here is a step by step tutorial on how to tether jailbreak Apple TV 2 5.2.1 using Seas0nPass:

NOTE: This is a TETHERED jailbreak. This means every time there is a need to reboot your Apple TV, you have to connect it to a computer. Functionally, both tethered and untethered jailbreak are identical.

NOTE 2: The current version of Seas0nPass doesn’t provide a jailbreak for the Apple TV 3.

Pre-launch checklist

1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes (check for updates through Software Update located in Apple menu).
2. Download Seas0nPass for Mac [10.6 or later] or Windows [XP or later].
3. A micro USB cable will be required to complete the jailbreak.
4. Disconnect any iPods, iPhones, and iPads from your computer.

Jailbreaking

Step 1: Unzip the ‘Seas0nPass.zip’ file and launch Seas0nPass.

Step 2: Select the ‘Create IPSW’ button to start the jailbreak process.

Step 3: The latest Apple TV software will be downloaded and used to create a custom ‘jailbroken’ software file.

Step 4: When prompted, connect your Apple TV using a micro-USB cable (leave power disconnected).

Once the light on the front of the Apple TV begins to flash rapidly, point the remote at the AppleTV and hold both the MENU and PLAY/PAUSE buttons for 7 seven seconds.

Note: This step will require the silver (aluminum) Apple TV remote that was included with the ATV2. The older, white (plastic) remotes will not work.

Step 5: iTunes will open automatically and start the restore process.

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aTV Flash (black) seems to be almost ready for 5.2 but there is still a lot of work ahead for the developers of other Apple TV software/plugins:

Please keep in mind that while the FireCore plugins will work on Apple TV 5.1, a few minor adjustments (which are currently in progress) are needed to ensure things continue to run smoothly on Apple TV 5.2. Things like Plex and XBMC do not yet work on Apple TV 5.1 and later, and will likely require A LOT of work by their respective developers in order to be compatible.

@thomashw, the developer of Plex client for Apple TV, has already confirmed on Plex forum that he will work on getting Plex working on the latest Apple TV software.

You can jailbreak your Apple TV 2 running software version 5.2 using recently updated Sn0wbreeze 2.9.8 but jailbreaking is a bit pointless at this moment as most of the plugins are still not combatible with the latest Apple TV firmware.

We will let you know once any of ATV tweaks/plugins is updated for iOS 6 and available.

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Most of the software like XBMC, aTV Flash (black), Plex, etc. is not yet compatible with Apple TV 5.1 – 5.2 and the device constantly crashes when attempting to install additional software from nitoTV, so we definitely don’t recommend updating to iOS 6.x.

Other known bug/issues:

• First boot on an AppleTV 2 for 5.1/5.2 firmwares has funky glitches. Should be fixed by updates pushed via repos.

If for some reason you still wan’t to update to iOS 6 and then jailbreak using Sn0wbreeze, you can download it from here (Windows only).

We will let you know once any of ATV tweaks/plugins is updated for iOS 6 and available.

Sn0wbreeze doesn’t support Apple TV 3.

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Apple has just released a minor software update 5.0.2 (9B830) for the 2nd and 3rd generation Apple TV. Apple’s support web page has not been updated but according to The Mac Observer, Apple TV 5.0.2 includes an Australia-specific issue with Parental Controls: the patch “addresses an issue which caused content restrictions to be incorrectly applied for the iTunes Store in Australia.” There are no new features added.

nitoTV tweeted that 5.0.2 firmware is still vulnerable to the pod2g’s untethered jailbreak for the Apple TV 2, so we can expect the updated version of FireCore’s Seas0nPass for Apple TV 5.0.2 soon. Seas0nPass has been updated for Apple TV 5.0.2. Still untethered.

According to ModMyi, the quiet nature of the software update “could prove essential to a bigger software release or product refresh coming out of WWDC next week.” BGR reported last week that Apple is planning to unveil a brand new version of the Apple TV operating system next week at WWDC. A “trusted source” has told BGR that the new OS will be much more feature-complete than the current Apple TV OS and that it’s apparently the one that the long rumored Apple TV set will run.

Daring Fireball’s John Gruber believes Apple will be announcing something big at this year’s WWDC and his guess is a new developer platform and apps for Apple TV.

Apple will kick off WWDC with its keynote presentation at 10 a.m. PST on June 11^TH .

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ for the latest updates on the WWDC 2012.

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