Windows 10 is expected to impact prior versions of the OS
Brand new from Microsoft
On Wednesday the 21st of January Microsoft held an event where some of the future Windows 10 features were revealed. Two of the most exciting changes are the 'holographic' interface and Cortana voice assistant. After the slow uptake of Windows 8, it appears that Microsoft decided to opt for the familiar old feel with more features and better integration approach.
Let's examine the current distribution of Microsoft Windows from the geographical and generation points of view.
Global Windows usage
On a global scale, over a third of Web requests that originate from Windows desktop platforms come from the US.
What version of Windows is most popular for Web access?
Surprisingly, Windows Vista is still in use and maintains a fairly constant share of 5% of the total Web requests originating from Windows machines.
Supposedly users of Windows 7 and Windows 8 will be able to apply for a free upgrade to Windows 10 during the first year since its release. Why? The following graph will help us understand the reasons.
The above graph shows that Windows 7 still accounts of almost half of the total amount of Web requests originating from Windows machines. Windows 8.1 is gradually replacing Windows 8 and Windows XP. Interestingly, Windows XP managed to retain more or less the same level of popularity during the 2014, however data from the first two months of 2015 is indicating a steady decline in the number of people using XP for Web access. So Windows XP is finally giving way to the more modern version.