MacOS the New Name for OS X? Apple Website Hints Yes

Apple on Friday put up an updated page on its website mentioning its efforts for the Earth Day 2016. The webpage is meant to answer queries about the company's efforts to improve the environment. The page briefly mentioned the rumoured new name for Apple's desktop and laptop operating system - MacOS - instead of the long-standing OS X moniker. The Cupertino-based firm has now changed the name back to OS X.

For those unaware, this is not the first time Apple has referred to OS X as MacOS. The term was found last month in an OS X 10.11.4 framework, which led to a speculation that there might be a naming rebrand in the company's next major desktop operating system update.

At the point, the MacOS naming scheme seen in the framework was thought to be a filename or a codename used by developers for convenience. The mention on Apple's website however cements the speculation ."Daily usage patterns are specific to each product and are a mixture of actual and modeled customer use data. Years of use, which are based on first owners, are assumed to be four years for MacOS and tvOS devices and three years for iOS and watchOS devices."

To recall, Apple went with the OS X moniker in 2001, the same year it discontinued development of its Mac OS 9 operating system.

Although Apple has not mentioned anything about it, we might see an official change of name at the Apple WWDC developer's conference.

Interestingly, the above quote also details Apple's expected usage lifecycle for its products, which is four years for its PC and home entertainment devices, and three years for its mobile and wearable devices.