The Apple Store website is down ahead of the launch of the red iPhone later today (AAPL)

The Apple Store website has been taken offline as Apple prepares to start selling its special edition red iPhone and new iPad.On Tuesday, Apple announced a raft of new products, including a low-cost iPad and new phone cases ' but the star of the show was a red iPhone 7.The device is part of Apple's long-running partnership of with the (RED) organisation, with money from each sale going towards HIV/AIDS research and relief efforts. It's the most interesting-looking iPhone Apple has built in a long time ' a welcome relief from the gold-and-grey monotony that plagues many modern smartphones.Apart from the new colour, it's the same old iPhone 7 ' but it's only available in the more expensive 128 GB and 256 GB models, with no option to buy a 64 GB version.If you visit the Apple Store website today, you're greeted with a placeholder message saying "we've got something special in store for you," and it asks you to check back later.It doesn't explicitly state what's coming, but both the red iPhone and the new iPad are scheduled to go on sale today.The store will come back online at 8.01 AM Pacific Time ' 11.01 AM Eastern time, or 3.01 PM in the UK.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: Forget the iPhone 7 ' here are 13 reasons the next iPhone will blow everyone away
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