Instinctively it's just spin! I mean to say they hope to have a name by next year, surely the name isn't that difficult to figure out. I get the feeling it will be a slow introduction of changes and 'enhancements' with the aim being that people get used to a cut here before the next cut there. It would be nice to think they will try and recognise the top tier more once combined and split things up rather than thro most resources at the lower end. Hilton recently took a step in that direction but I have yet to witness anything from Marriott that shows me they have out of the box thinking.
Equally to counter that I would say they have taken their time and not rushed in so there is maybe some hope!