Window XP use drops as Windows 7 catches up
Summary: Microsoft's venerable Windows XP operating system was still the most used OS worldwide in 2011, although Windows 7 saw significant gains
Microsoft's Windows XP operating system was the most used OS in 2011 but its market share has been dropping rapidly, losing more than 10 percent as people shift to Windows 7.
In its latest desktop OS study, released on Monday, web metrics firm Net Applications revealed that the number of computers worldwide running Windows XP — released in October 2001 — stood at 57.51 percent in February 2011, but fell to 46.52 percent in December.
By contrast, Windows 7, released in October 2009, grew steadily throughout last year. Its user share was at 24.09 percent in February, but rose to 36.99 percent by the end of 2011. Windows Vista, meanwhile, dropped from 11.49 percent to 8.44 percent during the same period, the study showed.
For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Win XP still top OS, but momentum flagging on ZDNet Asia.
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