It's official: Microsoft has just announced that the new name for SkyDrive will be OneDrive. SkyDrive Pro will become OneDrive for Business. The cloud logo graphic will remain unchanged.

Microsoft had launched the SkyDrive cloud storage service back in 2007, but was forced to have to change the name when BSkyB, a major broadcasting company in the UK, claimed only last year that the SkyDrive name infringed on its trademark. Microsoft reached a financial settlement with BSkyB, which bought it some time to choose a new name. And the new name is OneDrive.

Ryan Gavin, General Manager of Consumer Apps & Services at Microsoft, explains the rationale behind the new name:

"We know that increasingly you will have many devices in your life, but you really want only one place for your most important stuff. One place for all of your photos and videos. One place for all of your documents. One place that is seamlessly connected across all the devices you use. You want OneDrive for everything in your life. We believe the new OneDrive name conveys the value we can deliver for you and best represents our vision for the future."

The over 250 million existing users of SkyDrive and SkyDrive Pro need not worry as the service will continue to run normally while the brand name is being transitioned. Microsoft says OneDrive will be "everything you love about SkyDrive and more," but it is not yet known what the new features will be.

You can head over to OneDrive.com and sign up to be notified via email when the changeover is complete.

Image credit: The OneDrive Blog