Microsoft's dispute with German retailer Metro Group has forced the company to remove all references to Metro in Windows 8 and reconsider the branding for Microsoft's new tile-based user interface. Although Microsoft has not officially announced a replacement name yet, sources speaking to ZDNet claim that it could be "Windows 8".

Metro Group is a massive retailer and partner for Microsoft, so the name change seems like a strange resolution to the dispute. Microsoft described Metro Group as an "important European partner" in an internal e-mail according to ZDNet.

"Metro" referred to the tile-based UI, but also to apps and services designed for the new version of Windows 8; Microsoft described Metro as a name for the sleek, modern, and fast user interface. Following the news about the re-named design language, Microsoft said that "Metro" was a codename, despite its extensive use even after Windows 8 was released to manufacturing.

Metro's/Windows 8's roots are in the now-dead Zune media player, expanded in Windows Phone. The Xbox Live dashboard also has a version of the new design, iterated again for Windows 8. It would be unsurprising to see the respective UIs become similar, particularly across the Xbox.

The source speaking to the technology website claims that references described as "Metro-style" will be changed to "Windows 8 application". Likewise, "Metro user interface" is to be replaced by "Windows 8 user interface". "Metro design" is to become the "Windows 8 design". It is unclear whether references to Metro in Windows Phone will also be removed, or if Microsoft will just refer to the new "Windows 8" name going forward.

The product page for Lenovo's Windows 8 ThinkPad describes "Desktop and Windows 8 apps". That is not a conclusive reference to the new name, though, as Lenovo could be referring to the operating system generally.

Official announcement of a new name was expected by the end of last week, but no announcement came.

Windows 8 launches October 26.