Facebook is one of the most well-known social media companies on the internet. It was one of the first, and is now certainly one of the biggest. But a new report reveals that the company might be about to change its name.
Here's everything we know about Facebook's name change so far, including when it may happen.
Why Might Facebook Be Changing Its Name?
In a report by The Verge, a source close to Facebook revealed that the company might be announcing a change to its name. So far, Facebook has declined to comment.
According to the report, Facebook would be changing its name to better reflect its work on the metaverse. CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, previously said he saw Facebook shifting from “primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company”, so the name change seems to fit his plans.
It's currently unclear as to which name will be changing. The most likely contender is a name change for a Facebook holding company. There currently isn't a group name, all the companies are just part of Facebook. A new holding company name would look similar to Alphabet, who owns Google.
This means that you'd still open Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus apps on your phone, but refer to the holding company with the new name. Of course, Facebook could also rebrand its social media platform as well, although that seems more unlikely.
When Might Facebook Announce Its New Name?
In the report, it was revealed Facebook is expected to announce its new name at the company's Connect conference on October 28. Facebook holds this conference each year, and has used it to announce new Oculus devices and other AR products.
Given that Connect is usually reserved for AR and VR announcements, it would make sense for Facebook to announce a new name here with a focus on the metaverse. It currently remains unclear what Facebook's new name might be.
Prepare for One of the Biggest Name Changes in Tech History
Name changes don't happen often, especially with such well-known companies. The last time we saw such an occurrence was when Google renamed its holding company to Alphabet.
A new name for Facebook will certainly be one of the biggest name changes in tech history, and an influential decision for the company's focus going forwards.