Microsoft Advises Developers to Steer Clear of the word Metro

Posted by on August 2 at 5:07pm
Ashley is a 26 year old with an enthusiasm for all things technology related. She hails from the Southern United States and when she's not tweaking her Android handset, she can usually be found in front of the computer or Xbox 360 enjoying the latest game releases.
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Uh oh. It looks like Microsoft has begun notifying developers that they should refrain from using the word “metro” to describe their applications regarding both Windows Phone and the Windows 8 interface. The suggested replacement is “New User Interface”, which has decidedly less cachet than metro. So what’s the reason for the dispute? Is Microsoft wanting to retain exclusive rights to the word metro for its own apps? Nope. According to an anonymous source as reported by The Verge, Microsoft is in a dispute with a German company over the term Metro.

Microsoft officials have confirmed that they’re dropping the “Metro style” descriptor and name, saying it was a code name for the unique UI all along. The company refused to comment if the move away from this branding is over a trademark dispute. This is sad news for what has really become an iconic definition of the UI, even if it was only meant to be used internally. What do you think of these changes? Should Microsoft fight to keep them?

  • http://www.gamesobscura.com/ themizarkshow

    I would fight to keep the Metro name. Even if you have to call it the Metro UI or Metro Design, it would be better than “new user interface.”

  • http://twitter.com/runnerPY Roberto López ☣

    NOOOOOO!!! keep the Metro name!!! Microsoft HAVE to keep the Metro name!!

  • Nooooo

    No way, MS. Fight your hearts out to keep using the Metro term!

  • Scubadog

    Germany should know exactly what they can do with their whining. Metro is the name we’ve come to know and associate with this UI and it’s performance. It will be yet another of Microsoft’s big mistakes by changing names this late in the game. If it really was an “internal” name then they should never have let ANY employee use the word in any sort of public form. Period.