Sameed Khan·

Apple CEO Tim Cook Stops By Palo Alto Store For iPhone SE, 9.7-Inch iPad Pro Launch

The new 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro Apple announced at last week’s “Let us loop you in” event hit store shelves today, and as per an ongoing trend, Apple CEO Tim Cook paid the Palo Alto Apple Store a surprise visit to mingle with potential customers on launch day.

The tradition of Apple’s CEO stopping by this particular store near the Apple Campus extends back before Cook took the reins, with late founder and former CEO Steve Jobs having used the same venue for launch day meet-and-greet sessions. Tim was seen talking with store employees and taking selfies with customers, and later, took to Twitter to congratulate new iPhone SE and iPad Pro owners with hopes that they are satisfied with their new devices.

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The store wasn’t bustling with prospective buyers as one would expect it to be on the day a new iPhone is launched, though, but that was expected as this is the first time an iPhone is launched that is not a flagship model. It seems Apple’s new iPhone, which packs the power of the iPhone 6s in a form factor akin to the older iPhone 5s, might not be the iteration everyone was hoping for, though it is one that the product line needs. The elegant design of the iPhone 4 and 4s is still seen as the best in the smartphone’s history by many, and that of the iPhone 5 and its subsequent “s” and “SE” (Special Edition) upgrades borrows heavily from it.

Perhaps more important, though, is the 4-inch display, which aims to make the Apple’s iPhone lineup an attractive choice for users who prefer the consequently smaller form factor, and the relatively lower price point. Starting at $399, the iPhone SE seems to be gaining popularity among Android users looking to make the switch to Apple’s mobile platform.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro too, while virtually identical to the original, 12.9-inch variant, is a welcome addition to Apple’s iPad line for the same reasons – smaller size and a more affordable price, starting at $599. Most eyes, however, will still be set on the next flagship iteration, the rumor-riddled iPhone 7, set to be unveiled later this year.

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