Class, not the first time a company have publicly announced a product before launch, rolled with it for a year then then just before launch got pointed out there nicking somebody else's name. Metro is also a free newspaper in the UK, name of a subway system....
RIM had the same level of snafu recently as well with the whole BBX branding they went on about and then got told it was somebody elses.
Microsoft could just add another M infront and call it MMetro, but whatever they call it, it's putting a mobile phone interface onto a desktop, so what do they call it on there mobile platform?
ALso why did they pick Metro - what did it stand for Microsoft Enormous Tile Royalty Option(!) Meaningless Enviroment To Ride Obscurity(!) I don't know and I don't think they did either.
Still at least we have more faith in them testing thre software than we do there naming, don't we.
Could it be that newspaper and subway system that were named Metro are both operating locally so there's no brand confusion while Metro AG has worldwide operations?
More than likely, but it is understandable that nobody would want to be associated with what microsoft is pushing out as a UI.
I also wonder though that it is this late stage that perhaps Metro AG is not that big of a global brand that the only confusion would be non existant. Especialy as there business appears as unrelated as any paper or tube train.
Still its PR for Metro AG and given the late stage maybe some potentual pay off from Microsoft, why else leave it until now.
RIM had the same level of snafu recently as well with the whole BBX branding they went on about and then got told it was somebody elses.
Microsoft could just add another M infront and call it MMetro, but whatever they call it, it's putting a mobile phone interface onto a desktop, so what do they call it on there mobile platform?
ALso why did they pick Metro - what did it stand for Microsoft Enormous Tile Royalty Option(!) Meaningless Enviroment To Ride Obscurity(!) I don't know and I don't think they did either.
Still at least we have more faith in them testing thre software than we do there naming, don't we.