News

Facebook Inc looking to change name, according to US media reports

According to Vox Media’s The Verge, Facebook Inc is planning to rebrand the company at Facebook’s annual Connect conference on 29 October (Australian time, 28 October in the US), in a story published yesterday.

Facebook has declined to comment when approached by Mumbrella, however, Facebook Inc has in Australia filed for a trade mark for the word “Horizon” in relation to a Class 42 IP application: “Application service provider (asp) featuring software to enable or facilitate the uploading, downloading, streaming, posting, displaying, blogging, linking, modifying, sharing or otherwise providing electronic media or information over communication networks…” The application was made via specialist intellectual property firm Spruson & Ferguson.

When asked for comment, a Facebook spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on rumour or speculation”.

The rebrand would likely position the blue Facebook app as one of many products under a parent company overseeing applications such as Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and more.

Facebook does have Horizon products, its virtual reality product that is in beta and invite-only at the moment. The name was recently changed to Horizon Worlds, shortly after Facebook demoed a virtual office workspace called Horizon Workrooms.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has flagged an intention for Facebook to focus on the metaverse, telling The Verge in July this year that: “Our overarching goal across all of these initiatives is to help bring the metaverse to life.”

Facebook Inc initially made an application to IP Australia on 12 June 2020, for the word Horizon for IP classes IP: 9, 35, 41, 42, and 45. The on 5 October 2021, the examination of the application was expedited.

Facebook Inc has also filed for trade mark in Australia for the below logo. The trademark was filed on 9 September 2021.

The full trademark for “Horizon” can be viewed here.

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