It has been very long that I blog from mobile now.
But in the last hours there is something going on that really gets me annoyed.
Due to a similar naming with the big German concern “Metro AG”, Microsoft is avoiding to name the new UI of all operating systems and services “Metro UI”.
Why are they doing this? They had serious conversation with the Metro AG. The Metro AG owns some big consumer electronic retail shops, which are branded “Media Markt” and “Saturn”. Get the point?
No? Then you are thinking like me. The brands have nothing in common with the naming. They have their own brand. Most of their customers even do not know that they belong to the Metro group.
Microsoft was pushing “Metro UI” to us, both customers and developers since the release of Windows Phone 7. The Metro AG didn’t complain about it. All the subways using “Metro” out there did not complain about it.
So why was MS not able to solve that? They are surely in a much stronger position than the Metro group. They are a big, big global player against a small local player… Was MS fearing that Metro group’s brands to block their new products? That is rather unlikely. They could not miss one of their key sources of revenue. So why MS did not played with their mighty muscles? We certainly never will know about that.
Also, not even the Logo of Metro group has something in common with the Metro UI.
I am sure a lot of us have promoted the UI as “Metro UI” to friends and customers.
Now we have to tell them it is the “Windows 8-style UI”. Do me a favor, speak it out loud. Just do it. You will see how this is nothing compared to “Metro UI”.
It was like the description: clear, easy, no junk around it, just the perfect name for their innovation.
I really hate the fact that MS is not using their whole power to serve this up. They do not need the brands of the Metro AG. But those brands need Microsoft to generate markable revenue.
What do you all think about this?
Here is your answer, Microsoft fanboy:
http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2012/08/microsoft-lost-mojo-steve-ballmer
I approved your comment because I am open for all opinions. Here is mine on your link: I read the article already. It is a bunch of crap. not all things ballmer did were bad decisions. and not all were good. but the article is still crap.
I second your opinion, Marco. It’s kinda ridiculous ditching the name Metro now. Especially since it doesn’t anything else but describe a design paradigma. It’s not a brand or even a product, so there’s not a single reason for the Metro AG to complain about it or even file a lawsuit out of it.
And that article on Vanityfair? Haha, seems to have been written by a true Apple Evangelist.
thx for your comment, Mark!