Windows 7 just overtook XP in the United States

Published on 04-09-2011 01:31 PM

It’s finally happened. After a long reign at the top, Microsoft’s Windows XP is no longer the most widely used desktop operating system in the United States, instead turning the crown over to Windows 7.

As of April, Windows 7 has 31.71% of the desktop operating system market, compared to 31.56% for Windows XP.

Here is the current distribution of desktop operating systems in the United States, based on the first seven days of April:

The data is from StatCounter and consists of aggregated visitor stats from more than three million websites. In other words, this reflects the market share distribution of computers used to access the Web.
The rapid rise of Windows 7 has been a massive success after Microsoft’s relative failure with Windows Vista (which never got the upper hand on XP). Since its launch in October 2009, the rise of Windows 7 has been straight as an arrow.

Windows XP is still a big presence, especially in the corporate space where many have resisted upgrading, but Windows 7 seems to finally have set the upgrade train rolling.

What about the rest of the world?

Worldwide, Windows 7 has a market share of 31.17%, while Windows XP still holds a significant46.87% (now in April).
However, this doesn’t mean the United States is the only country where Windows 7 has overtaken Windows XP. There are actually a number of countries where this has already happened, sometimes several months ago. A few examples:

United Kingdom
Canada
Australia
France
Germany
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden

So in this sense, the United States actually turns out to be a bit behind the curve.

Source: Pingdom

Categories:
Software

12 Comments

iLOVENZB - 04-09-2011, 02:48 PM
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With a figure so close it's hard to tell if it's accurate. Change one variable in how the test was conducted/to what extent and the whole figure changes.

Windows XP is still a big presence, especially in the corporate space where many have resisted upgrading, but Windows 7 seems to finally have set the upgrade train rolling.

The cost of upgrading to a completely different operating system should never be taken likely as it disrupts productivity. You have to weigh up the options, what does this operating system provide that the previous operating system doesn't? - A new interface and supposed higher security (UAC).

A - 04-09-2011, 02:57 PM
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I predict : Windows 8 will bring more chaos into this already mess. Normal people will mass migrate to Apple. Geeks and Nerds will be stable Linux users since most of the work will be webified shortly anyway

duke0102 - 04-09-2011, 03:20 PM
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Normal people will mass migrate to Apple

Mac people say that every time a new Windows OS come out lmao

A - 04-09-2011, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by duke0102

Normal people will mass migrate to Apple

Mac people say that every time a new Windows OS come out lmao

The difference being, I am a Windows and Linux user.

sandman_1 - 04-09-2011, 04:37 PM
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Originally Posted by AbyBeats

I predict : Windows 8 will bring more chaos into this already mess. Normal people will mass migrate to Apple.

Why would anyone want to go to a closed system such as a Mac? Other than getting on Stevie's nuts sack.

A - 04-09-2011, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by sandman_1

Originally Posted by AbyBeats

I predict : Windows 8 will bring more chaos into this already mess. Normal people will mass migrate to Apple.

Why would anyone want to go to a closed system such as a Mac? Other than getting on Stevie's nuts sack.

Casual users ( which is the overwhelming majority ) don't give a damn if something is open or closed. They just want a simple, working, beautiful shiny OS/hardware.

Cabalo - 04-09-2011, 05:35 PM
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Mac is no threat to MS on desktop OS. Mac is also not a threat to linux on the server market. Mac is also not a threat to MS on the gaming market, controlled by their DX api on desktops and the Xbox on the consoles.
So, I can't see anyone migrating to macOS. Around here the very few people who migrated from Windows, they chose Ubuntu.

In the US they have managed to reach more than 10% market share, whilst on EU they don't go even to 5%.

iLOVENZB - 04-09-2011, 05:52 PM
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Mac is a serious alternative OS for the average user. Why aren't users changing? Simple, Microsoft has the OS monopoly and their OS's are pre-installed on most builds. Will the average user even know how to install a fresh install? - Probably not.

Don't bother mentioning the argument about computability, we all know of ways around it via environments and emulators. Most drivers come for all platforms so that's not a valid argument either.

duke0102 - 04-09-2011, 05:53 PM
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The difference being, I am a Windows and Linux user.

I never said you were a Mac user

Casual users

the casual user will want cheap (Windows/Linux) and easy to use every day (Windows)

I couldn't believe Linux was 0.7% on there, I thought it'd be higher than that

sandman_1 - 04-09-2011, 08:06 PM
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Originally Posted by iLOVENZB

Mac is a serious alternative OS for the average user. Why aren't users changing? Simple, Microsoft has the OS monopoly and their OS's are pre-installed on most builds. Will the average user even know how to install a fresh install? - Probably not.

Don't bother mentioning the argument about computability, we all know of ways around it via environments and emulators. Most drivers come for all platforms so that's not a valid argument either.

I can make or take any hardware I wish and install it on Windows providing I have the drivers for it. Can you do the same with a Mac? Last time I checked, you couldn't without using some sort of workaround hack.

snap3r - 04-12-2011, 06:59 PM
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Mac doesn't run on a normal pc so i don't see how normal users would just migrate to mac like that.

mjmacky - 04-15-2011, 06:14 AM
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"Migrate to MacOS" is misleading for a voyage to iRape
Use "dump lots of money into what I'm told is a superior designed hardware running on a shiny inflexible OS" instead