Apple's latest operating system, known as "Snow Leopard," resolved dozens of headaches for users. But it may herald a new one for the company's marketing team: trying to come up with yet another big-cat name for the next version of the OS. After Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, and two types of Leopards, are there any more marquee felines left to poach? Yes, but none that Apple is likely to want.
The custom of naming new versions of its fast, virus-resistant OS after outsize cats dates to 2001, when Apple coined the internal code names "Cheetah" and "Puma" for versions 10.0 and 10.1. The first update to be publicly given big-cat status was "Jaguar," and from there the cage door swung open. But the latest name change—from Leopard to Snow Leopard—was so subtle that some people started wondering if Apple's pride was running thin. True, leopards and snow leopards are different species, and Apple's decision probably had more to do with the fact that Snow Leopard is a minor upgrade than fears of a branding crisis. But the question remains: has Apple backed itself into a corner—and can it claw its way out?
With almost 40 different species of wild cat in the "Felidae" family tree, it might seem like Apple has plenty of options left. But a closer look at the remaining big-pawed population—which is limited to lynx, cougar, bobcat, lion, and a litter box of lesser kitties—suggests it might be time to for Apple to move on to another type of beast.
A review of the options:
- LION. By zoological standards, the only true big cats are the "roaring cats" of the Panthera genus, including tigers, jaguars, leopards and lions. (Yes, panthers roar, but panthers are actually just black leopards.) The lion is Apple's only truly big cat left. But while the fabled "King of Beasts" has long been co-opted as a corporate icon, it hardly fits Apple's current needs. The next OS X upgrade is 10.7. Lions should be the end of the line, the definitive edition, not just another update in an ongoing chain.
- COUGAR. Synonymous with puma, catamount, and mountain screamer, cougar is not an official species—at least not scientifically speaking. But it does have a rich folk history. The Incas are believed to have built cities in the shape of a crouching cougar, while Courtney Cox recently built a sitcom around the cat's modern incarnation as an older woman prowling for younger men. Apple reportedly registered "Cougar" and "Lynx" as trademarks back in 2003, but they have since been allowed to lapse—and with good reason. Sure, cougar is just another name for the grande dame of the bar, the one who can thrill in ways that no cub could hope to match. But cougar's nine lives as a branding tool have all been spent.
- LYNX. Known in mythology as "the keeper of secrets," lynx would make a great corporate brand. But much like cougar, the name is fraught. In the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, the randy grooming company Axe calls itself "Lynx." It's also the national animal of Macedonia, a recently war-torn Balkan country that was part of the former Yugoslavia. But most crucially it's already the name of a competing operating system. Apple is no copycat.
- BOBCAT. Part of the lynx genus, the bobcat has great name recognition. But it's mostly associated with a brand of dumpy front-end loaders. And at only twice the size of a house cat, it's about as mesmerizing as Rusty, the neighborhood stray. No surprise that Apple has stayed away.
- THE REST. Fishing cat, flat-headed cat, Geoffroy's cat, rusty-spotted cat—the rest of the feline family tree is notable for its funny names more than its national brand potential. The caracal cat can snatch birds from the sky and likes to shear away its prey's fur—alive, mind you—before devouring it. But it lacks the reach of, say, the Cheshire Cat. And the realm of ligers and tigons is just silly.
If you were Steve Jobs, what yarn would you dangle in front of the Apple marketing team? Leave your suggestions in the comments, and we'll publish our favorites.
