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Apple’s OS X 10.10 WWDC banner appears to point to ‘Yosemite’ or ‘El Capitan’ name

OS-X-Yosemite

We’ve been watching as banners go up at Moscone West in preparation of Apple’s WWDC developer conference on Monday, and now the company appears to have revealed “Yosemite” as the name for its next OS X release. The image, however, appears to be of El Capitan, a rock formation in Yosemite and another name Apple has reportedly trademarked as “El Cap”. For that reason, there’s a possibility Apple could go with either the El Cap or Yosemite name for 10.10 on Monday”

The banner above (Via The Verge) shows an image of what appears to be a section of Yosemite National Park in California, as pointed out by our own Michael Steeber:

Trademark filings surfaced today pointing to other possible future names for OS X including Sequoia, Mojave, Sonoma, Ventura.  They join other possibilities discovered in previous trademark applications including Yosemite, Redwood, Mammoth, California, Big Sur, and Pacific, Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, El Cap, Redtail, Condor, Grizzly, Monterey, Tiburon, Farallon, Skyline, Shasta, and Sierra.

We previously revealed many of the new features and redesigned UI planned for OS X 10.10, which Apple is expected to show off for the first time on Monday alongside iOS 8.

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Comments

  1. MiKey (@ExWoW) - 10 years ago

    I never believed it would be called OS 11 / OS XI or what ever but I’m glad to be sure now^^
    Can’t wait!

  2. Xavier Poirot (@dalaen) - 10 years ago

    Same typo, same design for both banners of iOS 8 and OS X…
    Unlike last year where it was a 7 in a square box, and a X in a round box.

  3. Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 10 years ago

    Great. So on top of being offensive, elitist names of places where rich folk hang out in California, it will be a name that most of the world will mispronounce. Genius!

    • Xavier Poirot (@dalaen) - 10 years ago

      Are you from California yourself?
      Because I’m personally from France, never heard of Yosemite before or maybe just the parks (who lives in a park?) and it will be mispronounced here just like any other versions. :)

    • Do you want them to name the next OS X after what then? a trailer park? People buy Apple products because they aspire to be richer, more creative, more able, more!

    • How are landmark names in California offensive?

    • This has to be one of the most ignorant statements ever.

      How the eff is Yosemite, or any other National Park, an elitist place for rich people? The entrance fee is $20 for Yosemite and most others are free.

    • Matthew Gonzales Landry - 10 years ago

      Wait, you’re offended by Apple’s choice of naming OS versions after California landmarks? Not only rich people hang out at these places. Mavericks is a surfing destination. And Yosemite National Park is absolutely gorgeous, and rich people aren’t the only people who hang out here either. You’re completely out of the loop of reality.

    • Craig Hayslip - 10 years ago

      Offensive? Elitist? I don’t see the names as that at all. I have been to Yosemite and most of those other places numerous times and no one would ever accuse me of being rich.

    • lunarworks - 10 years ago

      Fine. Let’s get them to call it OS X Jersey Shore then. Is that “regular folk” enough for you?

    • ttss6 - 10 years ago

      It’s not like only “rich folk” can go to Yosemite and Mavericks. Just because there are a lot of wealthy people in the Bay Area and in the LA area doesn’t mean the whole state of California is elitist. Trust me, I’ve lived here for 19 years. Oh and I have no idea how anyone can be offended by Apple (in CA) naming their product after an are of CA that they like. Their product, their choice to name it whatever they want.

    • Alex (@Metascover) - 10 years ago

      People mispronounce OSX already, even in the US. Not a big deal.

    • freshpressedguest - 10 years ago

      “So on top of being offensive, elitist names of places where rich folk hang…”

      That’s so extreme and cynical. The parks are all owned by the nation and protected and serviced with funds from citizens and visitors. They’re fantastic preservations of nature in an world with a larger and larger population that is unfortunately often exploiting areas of land and trying to own beautiful areas like this.

      Obviously, Apple wants to allude to this sentimentality that I feel for the parks, so that’s just business, but to call the parks themselves areas where only elitists go – and to then call the names offensive because you think they conjure up that sort of sentiment – well, that’s kinda more YOUR OWN issue more than one with the names and the parks. That’s likely not the majority sentiment about the parks.

      And I think if you even know the names ‘Tiger’, ‘Mavericks’ or ever hear the name ‘Yosemite’ in reference to OS X, you’ll probably know how to pronounce it. Otherwise, it won’t really matter to the people who just say “I use Mac” or pronounce the “X” in “OS X” as a letter, rather than say “OS Ten.”

    • Stephen Robinson (@xstex) - 10 years ago

      You’re literally the only person I’ve ever heard that finds it offensive. On the internet or in real life. Nobody else seems to give a damn. You sound ignorant as hell.

    • acslater017 - 10 years ago

      Riiight…cuz only the super rich go to the ocean or a national park. Highly offensive. You should write an angry letter.

    • Wow! What’s it like to be so miserable that you can make something so harmless sound so awful? This is going at the top of my list of ‘Most Ridiculous Reactions On the Internet’.

    • Brian Miranda - 10 years ago

      Gosh, you’re an idiot. You comment on two different places regarding the same thing. Seriously, if this offends you then you must have a good life. If anyone else reads this, just look at this guy’s history. Mr.Grey also commented on the iOS 8 article as well.

    • People, people… Feeding trolls, remember?

  4. freshpressedguest - 10 years ago

    Love the names. But I admit I’m from California and the names all have a nostalgia for me.

    Also, wasn’t it rumored that they would be going with surf locales for a while? Yosemite definitely ended that.

    Deep analysis puts these names as part of an effort by Apple to claim something that certain other companies can’t – California. The California aesthetic and California’s rich design history are things Apple has alluded to, but now they’re really going hard in the paint!

  5. Matthew Gonzales Landry - 10 years ago

    That iOS 8 banner looks amazing. I hope that becomes the default wallpaper.

  6. This is just a personal theory but since they both have the same style of banners, a number and a letter with a really thin iOS 7 style font, it might point to more integration between iOS and OS X.

    Also for them to remove the X was unlikely. The X is almost like a logo mascot for OS X.

    This could also point to the new redesign of OS X they have planned this year, They also have a bigger priority for OS X than iOS 8 this year which could mean they have a lot to show with the new design. Which makes sense because a new UI needs a lot of explaining and walkthroughs. Like when iOS 7 got bigger attention than OS X Mavericks last year since that had a completely new UI.

    What pains me with a new interface will be 3rd party apps will have the old theme for a while and come with a update really late. Spotify used months to move over to a iOS 7’ish UI (Altho that does not need a UI change since the newest update made it really flat on OS X)

    But I bet there will be a lot of hate if the new UI is very flat and has a lot of white points just like with iOS 7, then it will take half a year or more and people are used to it and some never update unless they really have to because they like the old UI better. But OS X is supposed to look professional and advanced so I think it will look great. (I hope)

  7. applecino - 10 years ago

    Yosemite sounds cool

  8. actually, the iOS banner looks less like last years iOS banner and more in line with the the OS X banners. Lost the vibrant colors that the 7 had last year. I’m not suggesting anything, just pointing it out. I expected the OS X banner to look more like last years iOS banner, not the other way around.

  9. taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

    El Cap makes the most sense since it shows El Captain.

    I don’t think the California names carry the same pop as the cat names. I know they ran out of cat names and are promoting the made in California line, but should name them after towns or more notable locations.

    Going to be confusing on updates when they have OSX 10.10.10. I would rather have OS X 11 OS X 12 and skip OSX 10 because most people see the x as meaning ten, which is is not supposed to. I would rather see OSX 11 and the next update 11.1 is better then being stuck with the 10 forever. Sounds like with UI makeover OS X 11 is a better name.

    • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

      OSX does not need to stand for 10 forever. Should refer to uniX and neXt for it’s historically routes.

    • acslater017 - 10 years ago

      The “X” absolutely means “ten”. And I don’t think an x.10.10 version has ever existed.

      • taoprophet420 - 10 years ago

        I know it means ten, but does not have to forever. It is still pronounced as x not ten and was named for next and unix.

        I just don’t want to be using 10.10.10, of course Apple is very slow on point updates now. OSX used to have at least 8 updates now 5 seems to be the lucky number. iOS also doesn’t receive enough updates, all the bugs for the iPad that still exist is a good example.

      • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

        10.4.10 and 10.4.11, but this is completely irrelevant because version numbers aren’t decimal numbers.

    • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

      >>I would rather have OS X 11 OS X 12

      That’s not how this works.

      >>because most people see the x as meaning ten, which is is not supposed to.

      EXCEPT IT HAS ALWAYS MEANT TEN. FOREVER. NO EXCEPTIONS.

  10. iOS 8 banner seems to be upside down! Water shouldn’t float… unless Apple is releasing an anti gravity app. #revolutionary

  11. herb02135go - 10 years ago

    How on earth can Apple trademark a name “El Cap” that’s been around for years? What’s next, trademarking Camp 4?

    I’m from CA, have lived/worked/hiked in YNP and it disgusts me to see park names used for any commercial purposes. If this continues I hope the park itself is getting some coin. Serious coin.

    And while you it’s cheap to get into the park it’s not cheap to stay there. So, yea, there is a sense of elitism going on there. There is also a lot of moronic behavior.
    Maybe the next OS will be called “get the dear killed by giving it human food” or “stupidity plunges over waterfall”.

    • Xavier Poirot (@dalaen) - 10 years ago

      I think you should take a nap… It’s just a version name.

    • Tallest Skil - 10 years ago

      >>How on earth can Apple trademark a name “El Cap” that’s been around for years?

      Because that’s not how trademarks work. The park won’t be receiving money.

    • whatyoutalkingboutwillis - 10 years ago

      I felt the same way when they used cat names, I felt that the cats being used should have received royalties from apple using their name. I was also shocked when i found out that Google used the names of desserts, how could they not compensate the hard working men and women who make those delicious desserts? And lest we forget Microsoft with their use of numbers, how could they even trademark numbers?!!

      This just goes to show how ruthless the tech industry is, with their disgraceful use of places, foods and numbers. What’s next people trademarking words like Subway or Dominos?

  12. Seems to be Yosemite from Apple’s own page (http://www.apple.com/id/aperture/action/carmel/#gallery6) by Elizabeth Carmel; Also available at her site http://bit.ly/1hm4xc4

  13. The line is places that are iconic in California, El Capitan is a place but it is inside something bigger Yosemite. The name will definitely be Yosemite.

  14. Kyle Robson - 10 years ago

    That’s half dome.

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Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.