14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft launched the new Windows 8.1 OS update last month and the company expects everyone to switch from Windows 8 to the new release before the end of the year.
Statistics provided by market researcher Net Applications indicate that Windows 8 users are really doing this, as the modern platform rolled out on October 26, 2012, has now started losing ground.
Figures for the month of October 2013 reveal a drop in Windows 8’s market share to 7.53 percent, while Windows 8.1 is quickly gaining ground and reached 1.72 percent.
Windows 7 obviously continues to be the top choice worldwide, while Windows XP comes second with 31.24 percent.
As far as Windows 8.1 is concerned, Microsoft continues to promote the OS as the right choice for virtually anyone, regardless of the device they are using.
“Windows 8.1 is great for touch screens, but it still feels totally natural to use a mouse and keyboard, too. They all work in harmony to make using my PC feel more effortless than ever before,” a company employee said in a statement rolled out earlier this week.
“What I found was that touch with Windows 8.1 became second nature to me very quickly. I think most people have a unique ‘system’ when it comes to their PCs and devices. They stay organized in a certain way, keep track of what they’re doing in a certain way, and navigate however feels comfortable. My favorite thing about Windows 8.1 is that I can choose how to do all these things. I found that touch became part of my mouse and keyboard ‘system’ pretty seamlessly.”
Windows 8.1 is available as a free update from the store for those running Windows 8, while users of older versions need to pay at least $119.99 (€90) to purchase a license for the core version.