This morning, we got a press release from EMI teasing an "exciting new digital offering" from the beleaguered record label, one that would be announced at a press conference at its London headquarters tomorrow. The guests at the press conference: EMI CEO Eric Nicoli, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, and an unnamed guest who will provide a "special live performance." Nicoli's been giving Apple props lately, so Jobs' attendance at this event got our interest piqued—and the fact that the EMI press rep who sent out the release attempted to recall it shortly thereafter, a trick that pretty much never works, only fueled our speculative flames. Could this be the long-awaited announcement that the Beatles catalog will be going online? Or did EMI's PR department get a little too slap-happy with the prospect of pulling a big April Fool's joke on everyone?

The full release after the jump.

UPDATE: Reuters is reporting that "a source familiar with the situation" is saying that tomorrow's press conference will not include a Beatles-related announcement. We'll be watching live at 8 a.m. ET, and you can tune in as well.

UPDATE 2: Holy crap!

Subject: 2 April Event (testing)

PLEASE JOIN EMI GROUP CEO ERIC NICOLI
AT EMI'S HEADQUARTERS
ON MONDAY 2 APRIL AT 1PM LONDON / 8AM NEW YORK TIME
TO HEAR ABOUT AN EXCITING NEW DIGITAL OFFERING.

WITH SPECIAL GUEST, APPLE CEO STEVE JOBS
AND A SPECIAL LIVE PERFORMANCE

FROM 12.15PM - ARRIVE AT EMI - REFRESHMENTS SERVED
1 -1.40PM - MEDIA BRIEFING
FROM 1.15PM - PHOTOGRAPHERS ARRIVE
1.45PM - PHOTOCALL

EMI
27 WRIGHTS LANE
LONDON
W8 5SW

If you wish to attend in person, please register by emailing your name and contact details to [redacted]

Earlier: Beatles' Digital Catalog Coming To Many Digital-Music Services Near You

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple (the company in charge of the Beatles' catalog) and Apple (the computer company that can't seem to make a decent battery) have settled their trademark dispute:

Under a new deal that replaces one reached in 1991, Apple will own all of the trademarks related to "Apple" and license some of those back to Apple Corps Ltd., the Beatles' record label. The trademark lawsuit between the companies will be withdrawn. Terms of the settlement are confidential.

"We love the Beatles, and it has been painful being at odds with them over these trademarks," said Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs in a prepared statement. "It feels great to resolve this in a positive manner, and in a way that should remove the potential of further disagreements in the future."

Jobs added, "This has nothing to do whatsoever with the fact that we desperately want to put Rubber Soul on the iTunes store before the introduction of the iPhone. Nothing! Now excuse me while I give Yoko a hot-stone massage."

Apple, Beatles Reach Deal Over Use of Trademark [WSJ]
Earlier: More MacWorld: Will The iTunes Store And The Beatles Finally Come Together?

Here's another photo from the MacWorld demo of the (real) iPhone's musical interface—it looks pretty slick, but we couldn't help but notice that all of the albums are by the Beatles, one of the bands whose catalog is still unavailable via digital music channels. Could this be Apple's sly way of saying that they've finally buried the hatchet with that other Apple?

[Photo via Gizmodo]
Earlier: iTunes Store May Get First Bite Of Beatles' Online Catalog