New Apple TV firmware: iOS-based and available now

Just slightly ahead of the new Apple TV's arrival at purchasers' doorsteps, Apple has posted the restore firmware for the new device (download link). The firmware's filename and .ipsw extension both confirm what practically everyone already knew: the new Apple TV runs on a flavor of iOS, the same operating system running on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. That, combined with the Micro-USB "service port" on the Apple TV's backside, means it's only a matter of time until it gets jailbroken.

Apple TV running iOS also means it would be relatively trivial for Apple to introduce an App Store for the device. In fact, with a more general-purpose version of something like Apple's Remote app, Apple could very easily allow existing iOS devices to act as a universal remote for virtually any existing app, thereby giving the Apple TV access to the more than 250,000 apps already available on the App Store. This would also be consistent with the "ship first, add features later" paradigm Apple's followed so far with devices running iOS; remember, the first iPhone and iPod touch both shipped before there was such a thing as an App Store, and look where we are now.

[via Mac Rumors]