Oracle recently announced the availability of Java version 8.

The new Java includes a range of new features, most of which are only of interest to developers. There are some security improvements, but again, these will not be visible to the user and are mostly of use for developers of new Java software.

You can see the list of changes on the What’s New in JDK 8 page (warning: technical). The release notes may also be of interest.

Oddly, the main Java download page still points to older versions (Version 7 Update 51). You can get Java 8 from the Java SE downloads page.

Update 2014Apr15: Oracle clarified their position on the availability of Java 8 in a special FAQ. Basically, Java 8 is for developers, and Java 7 is for regular users. At some point, Oracle will decide Java 8 is ready for general use.