Windows 7's Pending Support Doom Sends Microsoft Customers Flocking To Windows 10
Windows 7 extended support ends on January 14th, 2020, and with that in mind, users are quickly fleeing the operating system (as they should). Net Applications, which tracks the installed base for Windows operating systems (among other software), showed that as a share of PCs globally, Windows 7's share fell 3.6 points to 31.3 percent in July. When we take into account only PCs running Windows, Windows 7's share fell to 36 percent. This low point was last reached 8 years ago not long after the operating system had really started picking up steam in the marketplace.
Not surprisingly, the big winner with the downfall of Windows 7 is Windows 10. Microsoft's current flagship consumer operating system saw its share of the entire global PC market rise 3.1 points to 48.9 percent in July. Likewise, its share of Windows-only PC installs jumped to a record 55.2 percent.
Back in March, Microsoft began nagging Windows 7 users with warning screens of the impending end of support for the operating system. Windows 7 users saw the following popup on their machines:
After 10 years, support for Windows 7 is nearing an end
January 14, 2020 is the last day Microsoft will offer security updates and technical support for computers running Windows 7. We know that change can be difficult, that’s why we’re reaching out early to help you back up your files and prepare for what’s next.
Needless to say, Microsoft is encouraging these customers to upgrade to Windows 10, which is a constantly-evolving operating system that like clockwork receives two major updates per year (along with smaller fixes, and security updates in-between).
