14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is very keen to discontinue Windows XP on April 8, 2014, so the company goes on with its efforts to encourage all users to migrate to a newer platform, hopefully Windows 8.
The problem is that recent market figures demonstrate that users aren’t quite willing to dump Windows XP in the favor of a newer operating system, so getting rid of the 11-year-old platform could be quite a serious challenge for the Redmond-based giant.
According to market researcher Net Applications, Windows XP currently holds a share of 38.73 percent, which makes it the second most popular operating system in the world after Windows 7.
Windows XP has lost only a small number of users in 2013, as its overall market share dropped from 39.51 percent in January 2013 to 38.73 percent last month, while both Windows 7 and Windows 8 have improved their figures.
The latest set of data provided by Valve’s Steam platform reveals that Windows XP still holds a 8.72 percent market share, while Windows 7 remains the dominant operating system with a total of 68.51 percent.
Microsoft, on the other hand, continues its efforts to move users to newer platforms, offering support to those who may encounter difficulties when it comes to deploying Windows 7 or Windows 8.
“We recommend that customers running computers with Windows XP take action and update or upgrade their PCs before the end-of-support date. If Windows XP is still being run in your environment and you feel that migration will not be complete by April 8, 2014, or you haven't begun migration yet, Microsoft is eager to help,” the company said in a statement released recently.
Of course, sticking to Windows XP could cause not only security issues, but also app compatibility problems, as some software solutions might not support the 11-year-old operating system.