Windows 10 is now the most popular operating system in the world

It may not be running on a billion devices yet, but Windows 10 is now officially the most popular operating system in the world. According to data released by Net Applications, a firm that provides web usage share statistics on real users, Windows 10 held 39.22 per cent of desktop operating system market share in December 2018 compared to 36.9 per cent for Windows 7. 

To sum up, Windows 10 now powers more devices than Windows 7, an operating system that made its debut almost 10 years ago, and yet remained as popular for as long as it did due to shortcomings of all that came after (Windows 8 and Windows 8.1) and just before (Windows Vista) it. It is a big win for Microsoft – now the most valuable company in the world – that comes just in time even as it preps up to end its extended support for Windows 7. 

It is no secret that businesses with deep pockets are a major driving force behind Microsoft’s revenue. And it isn’t easy to convince them to upgrade as easily. Something that happened with Windows XP, may happen with Windows 7 as well. It would take Microsoft lots and lots of effort to convince businesses into making the switch to Windows 10 from Windows 7 (convincing them to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 was no walk in the park), and the title of being “the most popular operating system in the world” does sound good for an effective sales pitch.   

Regardless, Microsoft has been on an upward growth trajectory for some time now, and CEO Satya Nadella has a lot do with it. Windows is a big part of it. Microsoft was seemingly very ambitious once upon a time, when it had launched Windows 10, going on to say that it saw 1 billion devices being powered by its new operating system in just 3 years. It did not happen. But it may happen soon. Windows 10 is now running on over 700 million devices -- PCs, tablets, phones and Xbox One consoles -- and with Windows 7 end-of-life just around the corner, things could only get better for it. Hopefully. To recall, Microsoft has already ended mainstream support for Windows 7 (in 2015) but as a general practice, it offers extended support to users for 5 more years.     

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