The Nexus 8 release date is expected shortly after the Google I/O event this late June and likely preceded by the much-awaited Android 4.5 or 5.0 revelation.

Late this week, however, the next Nexus tablet imminent arrival is hinted anew by the deployment over the air (OTA) of KitKat 4.4.4, which should be the final candy bar serving from the Android maker before its gets replace in the menu.

And with Android 4.5 likely on the update pipeline very soon, following the grand glimpse that Google will afford next week, it is only logical that something concrete, a device that is, will come out and show off it sweet capabilities and hopefully significant enhancements on the aesthetic department.

The consensus is, it will be the 8.9-inch Nexus 8, said to be the last of the Nexus line and high-end enough in looks and specs to challenge key Android rivals and the twin industry leaders - iPad Air and the Retina-toting iPad Mini 2.

According to Android Central, KitKat 4.4.4 is hitting the airwaves for the currently circulating native Android kits namely the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, the two Nexus 7s or builds 2012 and 2013 and the Nexus 10.

This latest move from Google suggests that it is fixing things up at an accelerated pace prior to jumping to the next level, which for Android fans is the rollout of Android 4.5 and the very first gadget that it will inhabit - the Nexus 8.

That the device will touch down soon is also implied by the ongoing development in Google Play Store, from which three major hero Android devices have recently went out of stock, according to a report by Gotta Be Mobile.

The Google Play Editions that are now unavailable for purchase are the HTC One M7, the Sony Z Ultra and the LG G Pad 8.3, said the same report.

Now the usual case is, when Google pulls out a device a device from its store the decision indicates of a strategy to clear out old stocks and make room for the fresher kits. In this particular case, the Nexus 8 is the strong candidate for a soon-to-happen debut time.

The Nexus 6 is also in consideration but solid details about the purported iPhone 6 rival are hard to come by these days to support such possibility.

In contrast, the Nexus 8 specs and features, though still in rumour level, now abound and reports are fie that the powerful device will be an HTC opus.

On its release date, which likely is between July and August 2014, the Nexus 8 is said to rely on a 64-bit processing chip (the maker is a toss between Qualcomm and NVIDIA) with the display prowess largely defined by a 2K screen resolution render or even higher.