google play event
Google's Oct. 24 press invite. Google

Google may be ready to let the cat out of the bag about its upcoming plans. The Mountain View, Calif. company has now sent out press invites for an event next Thursday. However, before we rejoice that the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat launch date has finally been revealed, the invite may allude to something a bit different. The event, which will take place in New York City at 7 p.m., will supposedly be centered on Google Play.

“Join us for a night out with Google Play,” reads the press invite.

Notably, recent leaks have indicated that the Google Play Store version 4.4 will feature an overhaul of its user interface design, which is expected to also be adopted by Google specific apps including Google Now, Google Keep, and Gmail. Perhaps the event will reveal officially reveal these UI changes to the public.

Sources have told Geek.com that the upcoming Google event will not feature hardware. There is no indication on what that means for Android 4.4.

Reports have suggested several launch dates for the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 including Oct. 18, Oct. 23, Oct. 28 and Oct. 31. If the Nexus 5 is not revealed on Oct. 24 there is still plenty of time left in October for the device to be unveiled. Fans and pundits alike are certain that Google will announce the Nexus 5 on Oct. 28, as per several images shared on various KitKat social media pages. This of course cannot be confirmed without word from Google, and an Oct. 24 event is the current word from Google.

As we previously noted, this Google Play event was announced approximately a week in advance, similar to many other Google events in the past. Consider the “Breakfast With Sundar Pichai” event which took place in July, where Google announced the 2013 Nexus 7 and Android 4.3 Jelly Bean as announced about one week before the event took place. Press invites gave no indication as to what the event would entail, yet the tablet and operating system were still unveiled.

Aside from anonymous sources suggesting where will be no hardware unveiled; the mention of ‘Google Play’ doesn’t really give us any indication about what will be revealed at the event. Until next Thursday, the waiting game continues.

Do you think the Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat will be unveiled at the Oct. 24 Google Play event? Let us know in the comments below.

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