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The Day Tim Cook Replaced Steve Jobs: The iPhone 4S Launch | CNET Archives

Watch the moment Tim Cook takes the stage for his first product launch as Apple CEO in 2011. Stepping into Steve Jobs’ shoes, Cook welcomes the crowd to Apple’s Town Hall auditorium, reflects on his 14-year journey and teases the future of tech. Read more about it on CNET.com Tim Cook’s Legacy: Turning Apple’s Tech…

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Watch the moment Tim Cook takes the stage for his first product launch as Apple CEO in 2011. Stepping into Steve Jobs’ shoes, Cook welcomes the crowd to Apple’s Town Hall auditorium, reflects on his 14-year journey and teases the future of tech.

Read more about it on CNET.com
Tim Cook’s Legacy: Turning Apple’s Tech Chic Gadgets Into Status Symbols

Timecode Chapters:
0:20 Welcome & CEO Introduction
0:58 The History of Apple’s Town Hall
1:43 Unveiling Apple’s Integrated Vision
2:12 Introducing the iPhone 4S
2:54 Summary of Announcements (iOS 5, iCloud, & Siri)
3:36 Closing Remarks & Thanks

Video Credits:
Producer/Editor: Vatsal Upadhyay
Thumbnail Designer: Tharon Green

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#timcook #apple #iphone4s

43 Comments

  1. @ProjectCovenant

    August 31, 2026 at 5:09 am

    Tim was very hyper focused on profit and he certainly did his job well. But I’m excited for Ternus to accelerate the design changes more often with the iPhone.

    • @Wizreader2828

      August 31, 2026 at 5:20 am

      That’s not gonna happen. No super acceleration you’re dreaming of.

    • @ProjectCovenant

      August 31, 2026 at 6:18 am

      @Wizreader2828make sure u bookmark this char for next week when the foldable is announced. 😅

    • @_XYZ__

      August 31, 2026 at 9:06 am

      The only thing that will be announced is a phone 2% more powerful than the previous one

    • @zunedog31

      August 31, 2026 at 4:51 pm

      Every public company is required to be hyper focused on profit

  2. @adhiyamaanpon4168

    August 31, 2026 at 5:12 am

    Hope Ternus takes the path of Steve jobs (more focussed towards groundbreaking innovation)

    • @housepianist

      August 31, 2026 at 9:41 am

      “Groundbreaking” is a very hard thing to come by nowadays. We’ve reached peak innovation with today’s devices so unless there’s something truly innovative, everything is mostly incremental upgrades and updates. We see this from Apple, Google, Samsung, etc.

      And besides, people really don’t know what innovation means. They’re looking for some kind of magic tricks or a one-trick pony that dazzles them for 15 minutes before they become bored again.

      Steve Jobs once said that people don’t know what they want. You have to tell them what they want. I guarantee that whatever Ternus comes out with, it will never be innovative because people will simply decide that it’s not. Ternus will come out with whatever can be innovative and you’ll just have to accept it.

    • @UchechukwuOnuoha-o7e

      August 31, 2026 at 9:45 am

      @housepianist True, true, true

  3. @needleontherecord

    August 31, 2026 at 5:26 am

    I remember watching this and thinking it was so flat compared to Steve’s presentations and wondered if Apple would be the same exciting company anymore

  4. @Satoshi_Nakamoto_777

    August 31, 2026 at 5:37 am

    Wow. See how smallll the stage is!!

  5. @shantaram_nimbhore

    August 31, 2026 at 5:48 am

    I have a strong appreciation for CNET Archives due to its comprehensive collection of technology reviews, historical articles, and detailed product analyses that offer valuable insights into the evolution of consumer electronics. 🫶🏻@CNET

  6. @MrHaydnSir

    August 31, 2026 at 6:36 am

    ahh, the original ‘Good Morning’

  7. @Arielle-y9u

    August 31, 2026 at 7:21 am

    Tim was very hyper focused on profit and he certainly did his job well. But I’m excited for Ternus to accelerate the design changes more often with the iPhone. ..

  8. @Alto53

    August 31, 2026 at 7:36 am

    It’s not mentioned in the video, but this was the day before Jobs passed away.

    • @jeevanbatla91

      August 31, 2026 at 8:19 am

      @Alto53 nope iPhone 4s was launched after Steve Jobs passed away

    • @Alto53

      August 31, 2026 at 7:10 pm

      ​@jeevanbatla91 the date of the video is given October 4, 2011 at 0:07 – the day before Jobs passed way on October 5, 2011.

  9. @CNET

    August 31, 2026 at 8:43 am

    Read more about it on CNET.com
    Tim Cook’s Legacy: Turning Apple’s Tech Chic Gadgets Into Status Symbols

  10. @crazycrazysnakeman

    August 31, 2026 at 8:59 am

    Siri puts apple way out front. Ok Tim 😂

    • @35TCB77

      August 31, 2026 at 9:04 am

      @crazycrazysnakeman clearly you don’t realize this was 15 years ago.

    • @steelelfc1

      September 1, 2026 at 3:52 pm

      @35TCB77 Siri still doesn’t work properly today 15 years later

  11. @_XYZ__

    August 31, 2026 at 9:04 am

    The day Apple went downhill

  12. @35TCB77

    August 31, 2026 at 9:07 am

    You could tell how nervous Tim was during this event/Keynote.

    • @adamtajyar

      September 1, 2026 at 2:25 am

      @35TCB77 he was also stressed out from his friend and colleague being on his death bed.

  13. @UchechukwuOnuoha-o7e

    August 31, 2026 at 9:46 am

    To be honest, Steve Jobs is still the best

  14. @Boblambda

    August 31, 2026 at 9:51 am

    iPhone for Steve (4S), the old days.

  15. @OreoDave

    August 31, 2026 at 10:59 am

    Israeli chips in your phones!! 🤣🤣🤣

  16. @varunprakash5

    August 31, 2026 at 11:11 am

    Heartbreakingly, Steve Jobs passed away the next day – 5 October 2011. This event was 4 October 2011.

    • @aujan27

      September 1, 2026 at 3:12 am

      Yeah right, i could still remember looking at the apple’s website back in the day and I was so sad

  17. @KC_rigg503

    August 31, 2026 at 11:14 am

    We love you Tim!!!

  18. @JFL1988

    August 31, 2026 at 1:12 pm

    yea and since then Tim killed the iPod and the headphone jack

  19. @JFL1988

    August 31, 2026 at 1:17 pm

    and we have not had a live event like this since covid

  20. @chrisherbert4454

    August 31, 2026 at 2:19 pm

    Looking forward to the change Tim was OK but he never had the magic that Steve Jobs had

  21. @Abel-q2t2i

    August 31, 2026 at 3:16 pm

    That brings a throwback down memory lane!

  22. @ninjanerdstudent6937

    August 31, 2026 at 4:51 pm

    So this is the day Apple died.

    Good to know.

  23. @TechnotMe

    August 31, 2026 at 7:43 pm

    Traitor tim.

  24. @TowaWolfbear

    August 31, 2026 at 9:08 pm

    Looking forward to seeing the new Ceo John Ternus with the launch of iPhone 18 pro Soon!

  25. @SweetSpot909

    September 1, 2026 at 1:16 am

    He did a great job. He swung the bat at creating innovating products. He also squeezed every last ounce of profit from the lineup. You know this videos of people in other countries making olive olive by turning the crank as hard as they could to compress the olives and then it has a little funnel at the end? That was Apple with the profit.

  26. @qjfseven

    September 1, 2026 at 3:21 am

    iPhone 4 Steve

  27. @Biacora42069

    September 1, 2026 at 3:49 am

    iPhone 4Steve

  28. @iamstevemoses

    September 1, 2026 at 6:03 am

    Well done Tim 🍏

  29. @LoganCableTech

    September 1, 2026 at 8:05 am

    I feel this is fitting for Tim Cook’s first outing.

    The 4S had Siri and had, by far, the worst battery life I’ve ever dealt with on an iPhone. It just got worse over time. I just couldn’t use the dang thing without it getting warm and killing the battery. The 4 was much, much better, in terms of usability.

    It was the fastest thing with the newest thing, Siri, but it just didn’t feel the same.

    You have to hand it to Tim, though, he made Apple into what they are today: a big behemoth of a tech company.

    See ya round, Tim.

  30. @rexellate

    September 1, 2026 at 1:09 pm

    It is crazy to think how this presentation sits closer to the original iPod launch than it does today. Yet at that time, it seemed like that original iPod launch was so long ago. Now the iPhone 4S is older today than the original iPod was then! Time is flying.

  31. @BadBearGoodMouse

    September 1, 2026 at 5:05 pm

    The 4s was amazing

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