Microsoft will be dropping the name "Metro," the tiled interface in Windows Phone and Windows 8. The company was using it for over a year. The move was confirmed by the company on Friday.
"We have used Metro style as a code name during the product development cycle across many of our product lines," a Microsoft Spokesperson told reporters. "As we get closer to launch and transition from industry dialog to a broad consumer dialog we will use our commercial names."
The Verge reported that it had viewed a Microsoft "internal memo" explaining its employees the reason for the change was due to "discussions with an important European partner" that made Microsoft to "discontinue the use" of the Metro brand. The company said it the replacement will be in place this week, but until then, the employees are to use "Windows 8 style UI." There were reports that the company sent a similar memo even to its third-party developers.
It is believed that the partner is the German retailer, Metro AG.
"This isn't a huge deal for Microsoft, more of an embarrassment, but it is an unneeded distraction to what they need to be getting done," said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst with Moor Insights & Strategy. "One of the first rules I learned as a junior product manager was to only apply non-trademarked names to my products,"
Microsoft was using "Metro" to define a broad range of components in Windows 8 and Windows Phone, the environment, the topography, the interface.
Some months earlier, the company had said Metro was the "code name for our design language", and had picked that name as it meant "modern and clean. It's fast and in motion".
It is said the company was threatened with a legal action by the German retailer giant, Metro AG that owns the trademark on the word. Metro AG declined to comment. Moorhead argued that "Metro" brand will be hard to kill.
Microsoft announced on Wednesday that their Windows 8 has reached RTM (release to manufacturing) stage and its copies will reach in less than two weeks to developers, IT professionals and corporations.Windows 8 will be available on sale on Oct 26.
