Windows 10 usage inches up—but gap with Android widens

[Karlston]

Windows 7 still has half the market on the desktop, but Windows 10 continues its leisurely rise as Edge flatlines

Credit: RJP

 

Microsoft’s charge to modernize its products can be described as lethargic, at best. April saw tiny gains in Windows 10 usage, while Edge flatlined. The bigger news is that since overtaking Windows in popularity last month, Android has since increased its lead.

 

Depending on whose numbers you trust, on the desktop Windows 7 still has half the market, Windows 10 has about a quarter, and Microsoft's heavily marketed Edge browser registers as little more than a rounding-off error.

 

NetMarketshare—which counts unique monthly visitors to its sites, and weighs scores to adjust for country variations—says that Windows 10 usage worldwide nudged up less than a percentage point last month, from 25.36 percent in March to 26.28 percent in April.

IDG

At the same, Windows 7 usage time floated down from 49.42 percent in March to 48.50 percent in April. If you’re counting nits, Win7’s usage in the past year has bobbed between a high of 49.42 percent (March) and a low of 47.01 percent (last July). Every month has been well within spitting distance of the 50 percent mark.

 

The Irish firm StatCounter—which simply measures raw hits on its honeypot sites, with no “unique” or weighting kerfuffle—says Win10 usage went up a little more than a point, from 34.25 percent in March to 35.57 percent in April. At the same time, Win7 usage went down a little less than a point, from 47.06 percent in March to 46.17 in April.

 

StatCounter’s U.S.-only usage numbers are different. They show that, in the United States, Win10 web usage has pulled ahead of Win7, and the pace is increasing. Between March and April, StatCounter says Win10 U.S.-only usage grew more than a point, from 44.06 percent to 45.55 percent. Win7 usage, meanwhile, dropped more than a point, from 41.26 percent to 39.92 percent.

 

At the same time, Microsoft’s Edge browser can’t get a break. NetMarketshare says Edge usage went from 5.61 percent share in March to 5.62 percent in April, while StatCounter pegged it at 1.71 percent both months.

You have to wonder what’s happening to the Windows 10 web numbers, with roughly 20 million new PCs going into the market every month. Almost all of those PCs run Win10, yet they aren’t turning the tide with web usage. Win10 PCs all ship with Edge installed as the default browser, but Edge isn’t getting any love, either.

 

Microsoft only talks about “monthly active devices,” not users or usage, and by that measure we’re very much in the dark. The last time Microsoft released its Win10 “monthly active devices” number was last September—when it stood at 400 million. There hasn't been a word since then. Perhaps we’ll get a new number at the EDU announcement tomorrow or the Build conference next week. If the announced number tops 400 million, the increase in Win10 devices sure hasn’t shown up in web usage. 

 

The big news from StatCounter is that Android has increased its lead over Windows as a whole—a fact first noted last month. Android usage went up nearly a point, from 37.93 percent in March to 38.91 percent in April. Windows in aggregate fell from 37.91 percent to 36.88 percent.

 

Source: Windows 10 usage inches up—but gap with Android widens (InfoWorld - Woody Leonhard)

[luisam]

15 minutes ago, Karlston said:

The big news from StatCounter is that Android has increased its lead over Windows as a whole

 

Considering the huge number of smartphones, tablets and other intelligent gadgets around the world using Android and in first place, that it's FREE and practically transparent for the users, I guess this statistics falls short. Android should be WAY OVER Windows.

Real problems might start for Windows if somehow Android develops a user friendly OS for laptops and PC with enough apps to satisfy average computer user.

[steven36]

You can tell more are  using Windows 10 even many swore they never use it  reports they are using it now .. Microsoft is doing a good job of brain washing desktop users by using tricky . I'm down too one PC with Windows 10 now I put Windows 8.1 back on my older one that I use as my daily driver . I'm waiting tell 2019 too decide do i want too keep using Windows 10 or switch too Linux for good . The ball is in Microsoft's hands are they going keep trying charge you over and over for Windows 10? 

 

Microsoft has helped Android out a great deal  .They waited too late too get in the smartphone game and ended up losing  billions on windows phones and Windows 10 spy on you just like Android does . And Android OS  is free always witch windows is not. But it will be a cold day in hell before I use a OS that requires me too sign into Google  I dont even have a account in 6 years . I will not let no company have this control over me unless they pay me . 

[meohmy]

I have a laptop using Win10 LTSB severely tweaked, and my main desktop runs Win 8.1. To be honest I am unsure which I prefer to use as I switch comfortably between the 2, but I suppose that as my daily driver is my desktop running 8.1, it can show a preference. I have genuine Win 10 Enterprise and Pro VL keys so I may possibly switch one day.

The march of 'Big Brother' rolls on and our privacy is being eroded every day with very little that we can ultimately do about it like it or not, although it is fun trying.

Seems George Orwell was a prophet after all.

[luisam]

5 hours ago, meohmy said:

I have a laptop using Win10 LTSB severely tweaked, and my main desktop runs Win 8.1.

 

From all I've learned about Windows 10, If your laptop came for Windows 10, just keep out all update to tracking. If you are using SSD, actually Window 10 might be the BEST choice to manage your drive; see SSD optimizing with TRIM! Don't confound it with Defrag! You should never defrag SSD.

As for your Windows 8.1, you have the choice of keepinig or update; be careful with any unsolicited upgrade to Windows 10. Update might be steamlined but also can take you to a complete disaster. most laptops can be factory reset using setup copy stored in hidden protected HD storage. Simply, keed your data sefe before updating.  Some Windows 8.1 users found a better solutiion by downgrading to Windows 7; I'm not so sure it it's worth. If it has original 8.1 it was built for 8.1 I've been using 8.1 for a short time and even if it looks somewhat dfferent, you an configure it to the "feeling" of Windows 7.

[straycat19]

I'll be honest (I always am but I say it just to stop any negative thoughts before I say what I am about to say), I have somewhere around 45 computers in my house now, desktops, laptops, netbooks, all running windows 7 except for four or five running windows 8.1, one running WinXP, and one running Windows 98. Some of these also dual boot various Linux versions since I use that OS frequently also.  I have 13 Android devices, 4 phones and 9 tablets.  The last time I saw a Windows phone was back in 2002.  I saw a windows phone in the AT&T store last week but one of the reps said they haven't sold any.  I think I still have a couple VMs made with Windows 10 but I haven't run them in a month or so, no need since there is enough bad news about it on the internet I don't have to waste time doing my own tests anymore.  Microsoft is all hype and little actual improvement over any previous operating system.  35 years and they still cannot make a secure operating system except in their marketing info.

[steven36]

3 hours ago, straycat19 said:

 I think I still have a couple VMs made with Windows 10

I have a PC with windows 10 and  Linux mint 18  on it that's that's much newer than the one I'm on now and I not fired it up in over 90 days  My daily driver with Windows 8.1 I finally figured out I could go in the bios on Linux and retrieve my OEM Windows 8.1 key  so I finally was able too install Windows 8.1 back  legal . My hard drive crashed in 2015 with the  1st version of Windows 10 and i had  no recovery disk made so i just put Linux and then Windows 10 latter on after I replaced the hard drive.  Also I have PCs with windows 7. but the point is it dont matter if you have 45 computers when they just collect dust or just run up the electric bill  Someone with just one PC gets just as much use as someone with a 100 PCs unless there is a 100 people living with you  and using them..lol

 

. It's  like people with smartphones who think they need the internet when they go too the bathroom there is more too  life than  just the internet so no thanks I think ill pass on that. It's like people who  collect cars  there are many cars at my house and the old  hot rod  dont hardly ever get  drove  at all  it's just  for show and the newest car dont hardly get drove much and we mostly just use the ones that are older models we have. And when you say you have 45 PCs that's just barging and no one cares lol . If you was a business  that would be understandable  but no one at home needs 45 PCs  with VMs with other OS  even if they are on the internet 24/7  all they would need is 1 PC and maybe a few spares encase  you had too fix  you're main machine. I hope you didn't waste you're money on all those PCs  because the older they get the more they go down in value.

 

I don't buy PCs  unless  I have a reason  the last I bought  was when the hard drive went out and I just  use my older one i had the part here in a junked PC too fix it so it cost me nothing too fix.so the newest one will stay like new . When you have too much of anything it's overkill .There's wants and needs and no one needs 45 Pcs at home that just means you're caught up in the material realm and Madonna  the material girl went out in the 80s . At lest if someone was having trouble with windows  10 I can get on it and try too help them trouble shoot it . But having 45 pcs is all about self  and it can't even be very useful too you much less be helpful too any who dont live  in you're house unless you plain too give us some of them.

 

And dissing  people that use Windows 10 just make enemies . Just because you want too use Windows 7 and I want too use Windows 8.1 dont mean the masses are going to follow our lead . I know I been using Linux for some years now and it is only growing very slowly at lest it's growing  but the fact is Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 usage  has been on the decline and losing market value every since 2015   . What goes up must come down and nothing last forever so you may as well accept it!  I used Windows 8.1 every since 2013  off and on and I'm use too being the underdog  I'm my own person and do my own thing.