Windows 11 becomes world's most popular desktop OS
What's the story
Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 11, has officially dethroned its predecessor, Windows 10, as the most popular desktop OS. According to data from StatCounter, Windows 11, which was launched in 2021, now holds a market share of over 52%, while Windows 10 lags behind at nearly 45%. The milestone comes months ahead of the end-of-support deadline for Windows 10.
Market dominance
Slower adoption rate compared to Windows 10
Windows 11 became the most popular OS for PC gaming in September. However, its overall adoption rate had been slower than that of Windows 10 until recently. In October 2023, leaked data showed that over 400 million devices were using Windows 11 at the time. This was a slower adoption rate than its predecessor, which reached the same milestone in just one year.
Upgrade challenges
Windows 11's hardware requirements held back users
The slower adoption rate of Windows 11 can be attributed to its stringent hardware requirements. Even though Microsoft offered a free upgrade for existing Windows 10 users, many machines were left behind due to these new CPU and security requirements. The tech giant has been encouraging users with incompatible machines to upgrade their hardware for a seamless transition to Windows 11, even going as far as displaying full-screen prompts.
Support extension
Microsoft is paying for Windows 10's funeral
Windows 10 is set to lose support on October 14. To ease the transition, Microsoft has offered a free year of security updates for consumers who enable Windows Backup and sync their Documents folder to OneDrive. If users are not interested in this option, they can either pay $30 for a year of updates or redeem 1,000 Microsoft Reward points.