Considering the profits flowing in from Windows 7 sales pretty much single-handedly vaulted Microsoft to record profits this year, you might think a graying Windows XP has finally taken a back seat to its younger, better-looking brother. And you might be wrong.
According to Net Applications, Windows XP retains more operating system market share than both Windows 7 and Windows Vista combined. Its latest figures show July as the first month Windows 7 actually passed Vista in market share – holding 14.46 percent to Vista’s 14.34 percent – while XP still dominates with 61.87 percent.
By comparison, Apple Max OS X 10.6 owns 2.48 percent of the market, and OS X 10.5, 1.82 percent.
The persisting loyalty of Windows XP users has proven to be a sticky situation for Microsoft as it attempts to move its operating system forward. The company was repeatedly forced to extend availability for the operating system long after it said it would pull it from shelves, and recently announced that it would extend downgrade rights as well – the ability to switch from Windows 7 down to Windows XP. Those rights were set to expire July 12, but gripes from business customers forced Microsoft to extend them all the way to 2020.
