Linux hits four per cent of the desktop market

2024 could be the year of Linux on the desktop

The open saucy operating system Linux managed to take four per cent of the desktop market in December. 

Linux users, who have been predicting that their favourite OS will replace Windows any year now, might have something to celebrate.  

According to Statcounter, which should be taken with a pinch of salt of course like any sampling, the Linux share on the desktop hit nearly four per cent in December 2023. Last month was a record too and a clear trend over time, as going back a couple of years, it was rarely coming close to two per cent but now it's repeatedly nearing four per cent so it's quite a good sign.

The latest from Statcounter shows for all of 2023 below:

January - 2.91 per cent
February - 2.94 per cent
March - 2.85 per cent
April - 2.83 per cent
May - 2.7 per cent
June - 3.07 per cent
July - 3.12 per cent
August - 3.18 per cent
September - 3.02 per cent
October - 2.92 per cent
November - 3.22 per cent
December - 3.82 per cent

Of course all this proved was that 2023 was not the year of Linux on the desktop unless you factor in ChromeOS into the Linux numbers. If we actually take ChromeOS directly into the Linux numbers for December 2023 the overall number would actually be 6.24 per cent.

However,  a closer look at the numbers show that the Linux boost was at the expense of Apple's macOS. Windows machines actually increased. 

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