Apple has another big media event in just a couple of days, but that won’t stop Google from trying to sneak in some big news of its own. Forbes contributor Jay McGregor’s sources say that Google plans to unleash its huge Android L update alongside both the Motorola-made Nexus 6 smartphone and the HTC-made Nexus 9 tablet on Wednesday, right before Apple’s big Thursday iPad announcements. Unlike Apple, Google will apparently forgo having a big press event and will instead announce the new platform and the new devices via an official blog post.
The Nexus 9 – codenamed the HTC Volantis – will launch tomorrow and it will be the first device to run Android L, a source close to Google confirmed with me yesterday. The source explained to me that Google GOOGL +1.45% had planned to hold an official event for the new tablet, but because it was still fine tweaking Android L, it decided against a ‘big reveal’. Instead the new tablet, and a new smartphone made by Motorola, will be launched via a blog post tomorrow. Volantis will be available for pre-order on the 17th October and available to purchase on the 3rd November. Although there’s no information on when Android L will be available for other Android devices, and the pre-order and purchasing dates are subject to last minute change. The 16GB version will cost $399 and the 32GB LTE version will retail for $499. Both devices will have expandable memory.