14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft rarely provides adoption data for Windows 10, but each month, we have a look at the market share of the latest desktop operating system thanks to third-party market research firms that count the number of visitors in their own networks of websites.
This month, however, the stats point to different performance for Windows 10. While NetMarketShare says that Windows 10 improved its share only slightly, StatCounter data indicates that Microsoft’s most recent desktop operating system is very likely to overtake Windows 7 and become the world’s number one choice for PCs by the end of the year.
Specifically, StatCounter claims Windows 7 continues to be the number one desktop OS with a share of 42.67 percent, down from 43.99 percent the month before. Windows 10, on the other hand, has improved substantially the last month from 39.3 percent to 40.95 percent.
If the same trend is maintained, a switch of places could take place as soon as the next month, though it’s a safer bet to say that Windows 10 could overtake Windows 7 by the end of the year.
Other Windows versions far behind
All the other Windows versions are far behind, and Windows 8.1 comes third with 9.03 percent, followed by Windows XP with 3.89 percent. This is actually the other good news – Windows XP is declining and judging from the dropping market share, more users are switching to a newer Windows version every month.
Windows Vista is also losing market share, and that’s perfectly fine given that Microsoft no longer offers support, meaning that whoever runs this version of Windows is exposed to attacks aimed at known vulnerabilities.
It remains to be seen how Windows 10 performs in the next few months, but as it turns out, there’s a big chance it becomes the number one desktop operating system very soon. Too bad not the same thing can be said about mobile, where Microsoft has already surrendered.