14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook is holding a big, invite-only event later today though its not saying anything about what it plans to reveal or launch. Speculation has run the gamut, from Skype integration to a revamped Events feature, and now there is even talk about a complete overhaul of the site.
Whatever it is, all the signs point to a rather big announcement. The company has been on lockdown for the past couple of months.
What this means is that the entire team has been focusing on getting something done. It went on lockdown for 60 days almost two months ago so the announcement may come just as the period finishes.
There is even a Facebook Group, dubbed Lockdown, headed by Mark Zuckerberg himself.
When the invites first came out, most speculated on what the most recent rumors around the company have been and figured that the announcement has something to do with any of those.
The social network has been reportedly getting friendly with Skype and there is word of Facebook integration in Skype 5 which is about to be launched. Facebook users will also be able to use Skype with their credentials.
There are also signs that a new Events section is coming. Facebook acquired Hot Potato earlier this year and it is said that the team was brought in to revamp Events.
More likely though, Facebook is planning something even bigger, a redesign of most of the sections of the site. Already some users are seeing a new Chat window.
The chat will be moved to the left of the screen and there are other small tweaks like bigger profile pictures. TechCrunch says that the chat window is just part of a major redesign. We've already seen a new Friends page in the wild.
Of course, the chat redesign may also have to do with the Skype integration. Luckily, there are only a few more hours until the even, so we should know soon enough what's it all about.