Mar 2, 2011 15:34 GMT  ·  By

In what is a predictable move on behalf of Apple, the Cupertino giant has taken down its online store in anticipation of today’s event held in San Francisco, California, at the renowned Yerba Buena Center for the Arts where the company is poised to unveil the second-generation iPad, and a bunch of other updates.

Rumored to be in the works since last year, the iPad 2 is practically confirmed now.

Even Apple’s own invitations to today’s press event bear indications that the tablet computer is the centerpiece of the gathering at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts' Novell Theater.

Yet, no matter how many mockups, or specification leaks we encounter, we trust Apple to never lose the element of surprise.

Once the curtains are up, at least two Apple executives are expected to take the stage and make the proper introductions.

The most likely to make an appearance today is COO Tim Cook, who is currently handling day-to-day operations in Cupertino in the absence of his boss, Steve Jobs, who has been on medical leave since January.

The latter, as you would expect, is the least likely to hop on stage today, yet some believe this is a possibility.

Scott Forstall, Apple’s SVP of iPhone Software, is also likely to speak in front of the attending media.

As for the purpose of this story - Apple Store Down - any Apple fan will tell you that it’s being updated with various references to the iPad 2, including technical specifications, pricing, and shipping times.

Another potential announcement is the revamped MobileMe service, but Apple most certainly isn’t updating “store.apple.com” with any details regarding these offerings - MobileMe doesn’t even come boxed anymore, remember? Plus, Apple is widely believed to plan a free subscription model for the cloud-based service.

Finally, the store may also be updated with the various iPad 2 accessories likely to be available on the tablet’s debut. As usual, we’ll just have to wait and see what’s ‘in-store’ for us.

Update: following yesterday's announcement, the Apple online store is now back online featuring the iPad 2.