After more than three years, Windows 10 has finally eclipsed Windows 7 to become the biggest desktop operating system in the world, according to Net Applications, which monitors operating-system market share.
Specifically, Windows 10 holds 39.22 percent of the desktop OS market, just edging out Windows 7 with 36.9 percent. (Windows 8, the misbegotten OS that debuted between 7 and 10, has comparably little market-share—not that surprising, given its terrible reviews upon release.) A decade ago, a Windows operating system surpassing its predecessor would have counted as big news in the tech world—but today, not so much.
That’s because the tech world is now predominantly mobile, and increasingly voice-activated. Microsoft’s struggles in the mobile arena are well-known: Its Windows Phone failed to gain traction against Google Android and Apple’s iOS; Windows 10 on smartphones also tanked. Meanwhile, its Cortana digital assistant (named after the helpful A.I. in the “Halo” games) hasn’t enjoyed much luck in the faceoff with Amazon’s ultra-successful Alexa or Google Home.
However, Microsoft has enjoyed more success over the past few years as a provider of cloud tools and services; it’s also pushed into A.I. and machine learning research. At one point, Windows was the center of the Microsoft universe, with nearly all services oriented to protect the platform’s market-share; under CEO Satya Nadella, however, the company’s new tagline is “Intelligent Cloud, Intelligent Edge,” which reflects the reoriented focus on smart machines and cloudy infrastructure.
So Windows 10 has hit a big milestone—but from a broader perspective, it doesn’t really matter all that much, because we’ve collectively moved into an area where mobile, the cloud, and A.I. are key. That doesn’t mean people will stop using Windows, even if many developers seem more focused on building applications for mobile than desktop; but a lot of attention is now on other platforms and tools.
Windows 10 is the worst Microsoft program. They should stop trying to fix bugs and just junk it and redue
Win10 had been fine for all I know using it, no real problems at all. It gets the job done!
Even if the cloud and mobile are becoming more important, lots of real work gets done on Windows. Microsoft owes it to its customers to continue to provide them with a good desktop OS. Windows 10 ain’t it.
If Microsoft had a brain they should take average person off the streets and let them tryit before make and releasing the program and listen to those people and fix the issues before releasing it to the public.
They do.
Windows 10 is half/half. Great when it works right, but that’s definitely not always the case. It will never be XP, but then again no OS will ever be as good as XP got. Cortana works best when blocked by the firewall and not allowed to really do much, because honestly Cortana is Government spyware. As is google assistant, Siri, and Alexa. Just because the NSA is shutdown, doesn’t mean the operations stopped. (Poor Snowden) Any how, cloud computing is a horrible idea. Since cloud computing, look at how much more personal information has been stolen and leaked. I for one don’t use any A.I. assistance or any thing cloud based. Also WTF is Microsoft talking about “intelligent edge”? Only a handfull of computer illiterate people use Edge. No one else….Literally NO ONE. Not even fucking Bill Gates uses EDGE. Last point, Windows fell off when it started trying to be like very one else. Get out of the Video game, and Mobile market. Every since Xbox and windows phone, Windows OS has been sloppy trash, to a nice pile of trash. Regardless, still trash. So advice to MS. Stop trying to be like everyone else.
That’s not what “edge” means. Click the link (unless you’re afraid the NSA will know).
Hard to believe Windows phone did not gain more market share. Mine worked fantastic and basically near zero learning curve. Android is horrific just plain sick of it and don’t want to get locked into Apples obsolescence program.
100% correct with XP. They shut it down at it’s prime! However, 7 opperated closely to XP, and that’s what they should’ve stuck with. My 7 desktop crashed once, only for a hard drive failure, where my 10 laptop crashes on a regular basis, and lost capabilities (mouse gestures and intermittent touch screen features). 7 should’ve been what they solidified, not 10, and 8 should’ve stayed on the windows phones. Not everyone wants a phone interface on a computer, that’s what mirroring dongles were for, and emulators.