Facebook, the social media giant that has been an integral part of our lives for over a decade, may not be called Facebook anymore. This change could occur as early as next week.
The Verge quotes a source who has direct knowledge of this matter. The report claims that Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, will speak about the name change at the Connect conference on Oct. 28. However, the announcement could be made sooner than expected.
The new name is not known. It's unclear if it will be a complete rebranding of Facebook or the service. Or if the company will rebrand while the product remains the same (think Google’s Alphabet moment). According to the report the name change is kept secret from all employees. It could be related to Facebook's recent focus in the metaverse and company's VR service Horizon.
Facebook has almost conquered social media, so if it wants to grow, it must look beyond its core properties, which include Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
Zuckerberg has been focusing on virtual and enhanced reality for the past few years. He did say in July that Facebook would "effectively transition from people viewing us as primarily a social media firm to being a metaverse business". It's probable that the name change will be a factor. The company may feel that it is time to make a fresh start after the (not undeservedly) negative press and lawsuits they have seen over the years.
I reached out to Facebook, and a spokesperson said that Facebook doesn't comment on speculation or rumours.
