Windows 10 Install Base Now Surpasses XP And 8.1

Microsoft’s latest operating system is already a resounding success mostly due to the free upgrade programme. This encouraged many customers to access Windows 10 despite numerous media reports raising concerns about privacy. There’s also an underlying feeling from some users that Microsoft is creating a free-to-play style operating system and could eventually adopt a subscription model for certain applications. Although, this is pure speculation and no-one outside of Microsoft really knows what their long-term plans are. According to a new report from NetMarketShare, Windows 10 is now the second most popular operating system ahead of both Windows XP and 8.1. This is astonishing when you consider how popular Windows XP was, and the rate Windows 10’s user base has increased in such a short time.

On the other hand, many Windows XP and Vista users upgraded to Windows 7, which is often described as one of the best operating systems ever devised. As a result, it’s going to be very challenging to get customers to move from Windows 7, and this is exemplified in the data below. Currently, the adoption of Windows 7 stands at a mammoth 52.47%, and remains very stable. As you can see, Windows 10’s figure of 11.85% still has a long way to go to even come close to Windows 7’s user base. In theory, Windows 10 could fall behind Windows XP, if some users decided to move back to their older operating system. In the grand scheme of things, I predict Windows 10’s adoption rate to improve but at a slower pace.

Another consideration is Windows 10 and to a lesser extent, Windows 8.1 are both fairly common on tablet devices. In theory, Windows 7 contained some touch functionality but it was quite rare to see smart devices running the operating system. This exemplifies how popular Windows 7 is for desktop and laptop use.

Have you upgraded to Windows 10 yet?