14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP support was ended in April 2014, and yet, more than 18 percent of the world's PCs are still running it, according to a new batch of stats provided by market share analyst NetMarketShare.
No less than 18.93 percent of the computers in the world are currently powered by Windows XP, figures reveal, enough to become the second most popular OS in the world, after Windows 7 and ahead of Windows 8.1.
But what's more surprising is that Windows XP actually managed to increase its market share in January 2015, which is an indication that some users are not yet impressed with Microsoft's new operating systems and prefer to stick to the ancient version released in 2001.
No longer a secure choice
What's more shocking is that users appear to take the risk of running an unpatched version of Windows on their computers, despite the obvious security threats that could expose their data.
Without patches and security fixes released by Microsoft, Windows XP is no longer a secure choice, especially because the same vulnerabilities that have been found in other Windows versions also exist in this particular release.
As a result, consumers are recommended to upgrade to a newer OS as soon as possible, as both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are said to include new security features that would protect their data.
Windows 10, the next OS version that Microsoft is already working on and which could launch later this year, is expected to help reduce Windows XP's market share, as more users would finally upgrade their computers in order to make the most of new features that are exclusively available on this OS.
For instance, Windows 10 will come with Cortana, the personal assistant that was previously available on Windows Phone exclusively, as well as with multiple desktops and a brand new browser called Spartan that will at first be offered together with Internet Explorer.