Apple's Online Store is down hours before product announcement

We're a few hours away from Apple's big product announcement, likely the last huge one for 2012 (and just in time for that important holiday buying season) and Apple's Online Store is down for maintainance. One interesting thing to note is an animated notice stating "We'll be back. We're busy updating the Apple Store for you and will be back soon," in various languages. Could this be a hint of a global product release? Does this mean that whatever is being announced might be available ASAP or will we have a preorder option? We will know soon enough.