Apple's Future OS X Names May Include Yosemite, Mammoth, Big Sur, Redwood, Pacific, and More

mavericks_round_iconFollowing recent trademark investigations related to the iWatch, French site Consomac has discovered [Google Translate] that Apple may also be using a pair of shell companies to protect various California-related names in anticipation of future OS X releases. Apple's Craig Federighi announced at last year's Worldwide Developers Conference that the company would be shifting gears on OS X naming, moving from big cats to "places that inspire us in California". The current OS X Mavericks was the first to adopt the new naming pattern, taking its name from a popular surfing spot known for its massive waves.

Consomac notes that a pair of companies going by the names of Yosemite Research LLC and Coast Research LLC applied for trademarks on several California-related terms in the category of computer software on the same day back in early December. The terms for which the companies are seeking trademark protection include Yosemite, Redwood, and Mammoth (via Yosemite Research), and California, Big Sur, and Pacific (via Coast Research).

As with several other Apple shell companies created for quietly protecting trademarks, such as CarPlay Enterprises and perhaps Brightflash USA, both Yosemite Research and Coast Research are registered in the state of Delaware and use the Corporation Trust Center as their addresses. Both companies were registered with the state on November 22, 2013. Those details by themselves do not clinch the companies' association with Apple, as the Corporation Trust Center is used by many companies large and small to facilitate corporate registrations, but it is consistent with Apple's past behavior.

Another intriguing connection noticed by Consomac is that the attorney listed on the Coast Research applications is Stephen Brown, and an attorney by the same name is listed on an "iGuide" application dating back to late 2007 from iGuide Media LLC, a company MacRumors linked to Apple a number of years ago. Another attorney on that iGuide application is James Johnston, who was involved with Apple's efforts to protect the "iPhone" name using another shell company by the name of Ocean Telecom Services LLC.

The U.S. trademark applications by Yosemite Research and Coast Research from early December also all cite filings in Trinidad and Tobago for priority purposes, similar to Apple's CarPlay strategy. Those California-themed filings in Trinidad and Tobago were made on June 7, 2013, the Friday before Apple's WWDC 2013 keynote where it announced the change in naming scheme for OS X.

Taken together, all of these pieces of information make a strong case for Apple being the company behind the recent California-themed trademark applications. If this is indeed in the case, past history shows that Apple may or may not elect to use all of these names for future versions of OS X. For example, the company long ago filed for protection on various big cat names to reserve them for OS X releases, but never used some of them such as Lynx and Cougar.

The next version of OS X, 10.10, has been showing up in server logs for some time and according to 9to5Mac is expected to feature a "flatter" look compared to OS X Mavericks. Apple made similar changes with iOS 7, but the OS X changes are said to not be as drastic as those seen on iOS. OS X 10.10 is likely to be previewed at this year's WWDC, which will kick off with a keynote on June 2.

Update 10:15 AM: MacRumors has discovered many more trademark applications from other apparent shell companies that carry the same Corporation Trust Center address and June 7, 2013 priority dates from applications in Trinidad and Tobago. As with the other registrations, the U.S. applications were filed on December 5 or 6.

- Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, and El Cap (Landmark Associates LLC)
- Redtail, Condor, and Grizzly (Cassowary Devices LLC)
- Farallon, Tiburon, and Monterey (Asilomar Enterprises LLC)
- Skyline, Shasta, and Sierra (Antalos Apps LLC)

Related Forum: OS X Yosemite

Top Rated Comments

69Mustang Avatar
116 months ago
The names aren't that bad, but are they really about to make a mockery of the decimal system? 10.10 is mathematically identical to 10.1...

Sweet mercy when will people stop saying this?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
madsci954 Avatar
116 months ago
The names aren't that bad, but are they really about to make a mockery of the decimal system? 10.10 is mathematically identical to 10.1...

No, 10.10 = 10.10.0 software versions don't apply
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
116 months ago
What about OS X Bakersfield?


OS X Compton
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FakeWozniak Avatar
116 months ago
I really hate the arrogant California ego-centrism.
Queue the song 'Take California' from the Propellerheads.

Update: Link to 1st iPod Ad
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo-2aDs8160
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
co.ag.2005 Avatar
116 months ago
I mean, OS X is kind of tired. You can only promote a version 10 of a product for so long. Having version 10.10, 10.11 is just dumb, period.

Perhaps its time for Apple to invest some of them billions into marketing a new OS name, I mean, call it xOS even to get rid of the X = 10 moniker and match the iOS branding syntax.

At some point Apple is going to have to ball up and update the version to 11.

yes! it's time to go to 11!

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mbh Avatar
116 months ago
The names aren't that bad, but are they really about to make a mockery of the decimal system? 10.10 is mathematically identical to 10.1...

That is not a decimal point. It's just a separator.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_versioning (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_versioning)
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro Mock Feature Buttonless

iPhone 15 Pro Max to 'Break Record' for Thinnest Bezels on a Smartphone

Friday March 17, 2023 2:59 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone, beating the record currently held by the Xiaomi 13. That's according to the leaker known as "Ice Universe," who has divulged accurate information about Apple's plans in the past. Both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner, curved bezels compared to the iPhone 14 Pro, potentially resulting in an Apple...
iPhone 12 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro Feature

iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade

Friday March 17, 2023 10:29 am PDT by
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro. If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Launching This Year With These 11 New Features

Monday March 13, 2023 6:47 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 lineup is around six months away, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes are expected for the iPhone 15 Pro models in particular, including a titanium frame and more. Below, we have recapped 11 features rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A17...
top stories 18mar2023

Top Stories: iPhone 15 Pro Pricing, New iOS 16.4 Beta, Siri vs. ChatGPT, and More

Saturday March 18, 2023 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's high-end iPhone models have started at $999 in the U.S. since they first launched back in 2017 with the iPhone X, but could this finally be the year that starting price sees an increase? This week also saw some more rumors about Apple's upcoming headset and the company's explorations in the booming AI industry as well as the release of a new round of beta updates, so read on for all...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Predicted to See First Price Increase Since iPhone X

Wednesday March 15, 2023 7:49 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be more expensive than previous Pro models, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. In a research note this week, Pu predicted the iPhone 15 Pro models will see a price increase due to several rumored hardware upgrades, including a titanium frame,...
original iphone auction

Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction

Friday March 17, 2023 1:08 pm PDT by
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007. The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000,...