Microsoft Reportedly Replacing 'Metro' Branding With Just 'Windows 8'

Ready for some news that's so anti-climactic it hurts? We all know that Microsoft has been forced to ditch the Metro branding it gave Windows 8 and Windows RT, but what we didn't know was which new brand it chose to take Metro's place. We might have an idea now, as ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft has made the woefully bland decision to just begin calling everything Windows 8.

According to ZDNet's sources, Microsoft has opted to start using terms like "Windows 8 user interface" and "Windows 8 design." It's a practical solution, but it's one that leaves us feeling a little bored. Microsoft had the chance to really capture some attention with new branding, but instead, it just fell back on what was already there.

Despite our complaints, doing this is probably Microsoft's best bet. The company now has the unenviable task of wiping the Metro branding from public memory, and it isn't going to be easy to do that when Microsoft itself was using the term Metro at every opportunity. The best way for Microsoft to make the public forget about Metro is to just begin calling everything Windows 8, since that term has already worked its way into our minds as well.

This new Windows 8 branding apparently goes for Windows Phone too, so expect everything featuring that tile-based layout to be called "Windows 8 this and that" before long. Microsoft hasn't confirmed this switch yet, but we wouldn't expect it to – after all, it would probably prefer to avoid any talk of this branding debacle if it can. Instead, we're thinking that Microsoft will begin casually using the "Windows 8" brand where it once would have said "Metro." Stay tuned for more information.