In operating systems, just like in cars or smartphones, competition never stops. And even giants like Microsoft are not immune to losses. New official statements from the company have given grounds to talk about a serious decline in the number of Windows users. All indications are that the number of Windows devices has decreased by hundreds of millions over the past 3 years.
Last week, Microsoft Senior Vice President Yusuf Mehdi wrote in a blog post that Windows is active on more than a billion devices. Sounds good — but there’s a caveat. У Microsoft’s annual report for 2022 It is said that at that time Windows 10 and 11 were used by more than 1.4 billion devices. And if these figures are official and approved by lawyers, the drop in audience is obvious.
All things considered, Microsoft is strongly encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 11, as Windows 10 will soon lose support. Windows 10 supportwill end on October 14, 2025. If a computer does not support Windows 11, there will be no update, and someone will have to buy a new PC. This model still works in business, but it’s not always a convincing argument among ordinary users. A home computer continues to work, and for many people, that’s enough.
It is worth noting that not all 400 million «fugitives» became users macOS. Despite the popularity of MacBooks with Apple Silicon, their sales are also falling. According to Statista, the share of the computer business in Apple’s revenue has fallen to 7.7%, although it used to be over 85%. The real explanation is different: more and more people are replacing PCs with smartphones й tablets. For many people, this is enough for everyday tasks, such as watching news or movies.
The segment of Windows users is now concentrated mainly among gamers and professionals who work with programs available only on Windows. After the pandemic, the surge in PC sales gradually came to a halt, and the trend began to decline again.
The end of Windows 10 support may trigger a wave of purchases in the corporate segment. But for home users, the motivation is lower: even without updates, their computers will continue to work, albeit with greater security risks. For many, this is an acceptable sacrifice.
And if people are still looking for a replacement, the choice is now wide MacBook Air with Apple chip — an attractive option in the range of $800-1000, especially due to its battery life. And for those who are looking for something budget-friendly, there are various versions Chromebook. They are popular in schools, which means — their young users are more likely to choose Google in the future.
In the past, it was difficult for alternative systems to compete with Windows because of the popularity of Microsoft Office and limited software compatibility. But now that Google Docs and web applications solve most tasks for free, users have more reasons to abandon their usual solutions.
The shrinking Windows user base is a wake-up call for Microsoft. People are increasingly choosing mobile devices, cloud services, and alternative operating systems. To regain trust, the company will have to not only update the interface or the core of the system — but also rethink the role of the computer in the modern user’s life.
Source: tomshardware
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