Remember that Microsoft had some legal issues with the word “Metro” to refer the new tiled environment and programming design language in Windows 8 and Windows Phone back in 2012? Well, now a recent report from ZDNet states that the software giant recently applied to trademark the word “Mod”, which according to Mary Jo Foley, long time Microsoft watcher, the company may use to refer the new modern design in the operating systems moving forward.

Not only the company is trying to get the rights to make the use of the word “Mod”, but Microsoft has also filed with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office the words: “Windows Mod”, “Office Mod”, and “Microsoft Office Mod”. ZDNet report’s also suggests that “Microsoft Office Mod” may be the name for the new Metro Office apps the software giant is building as part of the Gemini update.

Although, this information points to Microsoft replacing Metro with the word Mod, there is nothing official that supports the claim, so it could also be for something entirely different. According to Mary Jo, his unnamed source thinks that “Mod” could also be a short for “module”.

Image source: Flickr (Robert Scoble)