Windows 8 Finally Passes Windows Vista in Market Share

By Jane McEntegart
published

Windows 8 is slowly gaining market share.

Windows 8 is a complete departure from the norm for Microsoft. The company set out to reinvent the desktop landscape, ditching a bunch of much-loved features of Windows (including the Start button), and adding a ton of new features, including a hefty amount of support for touch screens. Windows 8 is new, and Windows users are taking a while to warm up to the operating system -- not to mention those businesses that just upgraded to Windows 7 not too long ago.

The good news is that Windows 8 market share is progressing. According to NetMarketShare's latest figures (for June 2013), Windows 8 has surpassed Windows Vista for the first time. Windows 8 market share currently sits at 5.1 percent, while Windows Vista accounts for 4.62 percent of the market. This is compared to 4.51 percent for Windows Vista and 4.27 percent for Windows 8 in May. 

As far as the rest of the market is concerned, Windows 7 is the biggest market share holder with 44.37 percent. After that comes Windows XP with 37.17 percent. Next is Windows 8 and then Windows Vista. Apple's OS X 10.8 comes in fifth with 3.14 percent, OS X 10.6 has 1.76 percent, while OS X 10.7 has 1.73 percent. The remaining 2.11 percent of the market is comprised of 'other.'

Jane McEntegart
34 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Bloob
    Market share or install base?
    Reply
  • eklipz330
    "Windows 8 market share currently sits at 5.1 percent, while Windows Vista accounts for 4.62 percent of the market. This is compared to 4.51 percent for Windows Vista and 4.27 percent for Windows 8 in May."

    WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT. You're telling me Vista market share went UP?!
    Reply
  • PedanticNo1
    I wonder how it must feel to see the latest and greatest one's company has to offer being so thoroughly ignored. It's really pathetic that Microsoft tried to have its way with our wallets without even bothering to court us (no start button!? What kind of cheap whore do you take me for?)
    Reply
  • Potato13
    Wow. I didn't think it was doing this bad...
    Reply
  • DRosencraft
    Considering 8 hasn't been retail for a full year yet, it's not as bad as it could be. That being said, there's a long way to go for 8. I for one still believe Windows 8 to be a worthwhile next step in the evolution of the Windows OS. The biggest question is what happens to all those people on XP. It's not too difficult to find 7 now if you still want 7, but it is certainly going to be easier to find 8. How many of those XP users will switch to another OS at all, let alone 7 or 8 next year when XP support ends? I think in all honesty there is still time to see what 8 will do. It's still a little too soon to write it off completely.
    Reply
  • Osmin
    As long as new pc's are sold with Windows 8, the market share can only go up over time. What a success for Microsoft to have 5.1% market share after selling Windows 8 for $49 or less during the first three months of the launch date. People are craving to have the Windows 8 experience.
    Reply
  • Asok Smith
    Wow! What an "achievement"! Surpassing Vista, one of Microsoft's worst operating systems ever. AND it took only NINE months!

    At it's current adoption rate, Windows 8.xxxx will be very lucky to have 20% by the time Windows 9 rolls out! Clearly, this is an EXTREMELY poor showing compared to even the execrable Vista when you consider practically the only Windows PCs available to retail consumers for nine months have been Windows 8 machines, not to mention these numbers INCLUDE Windows 8 slabs, a category not available to Vista when it was being adopted.

    Bringing back the Start Button that does nothing more than provide yet one more means to take one back to the hated, productivity-killing, single-window, no-taskbar, touchy-feely, flashy-blinky Metro UI screen instead of actually restoring the Start Menu is hardly addressing the issue. It's more like a spit in the face to Microsoft's remaining PC users.

    Windows 8.xxxxxxx still doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades of being adopted by the enterprise and SMB. That well has already poisoned, not to mention the fact that IT folks at these places aren't fooled by nonsense like Ballmer's "refined blend", which sounds like it was lifted from a bad 1970's TV ad for instant coffee crystals or a "premium" motor oil.

    The "refined blend" of Windows 8.1 is akin to Coke "refining" New Coke by "blending" half original Coke and half New Coke and putting it in new cans and telling their customers that they were "listening" to them! Microsoft's users can tell the difference between a kick in the teeth and actually being listened to. This "refined blend" is being NOT listened to and it is NOT going to go well at all for Microsoft.

    The enterprise and SMB are still going to skip Windows 8.xxxxxxxx just like they did with Vista and hope Microsoft comes to their senses with Windows 9 after Ballmer is fired. And if Microsoft still insists on shoveling out cell-phone operating systems on the PC after Windows 8.xxxxxxxxxx, then the enterprise and SMB will start to seriously look at non-Microsoft alternatives.
    Reply
  • videobear
    I would agree with Asok Smith, except for one thing: the hardware platforms the world uses are changing. Windows 8 is a lousy OS, if you are using a traditional desktop PC (which, personally, I prefer.) But it's a much better OS if you are using a portable, touch-enabled device like a tablet. And for everyday use, people are starting to head in that direction.
    Reply
  • Osmin
    Just because someone buys a new PC with Windows 8 does not mean they are happy with the new experience. How many people avoid Metro apps and install third party software to bring back the desktop productive environment. Microsoft could have easily transitioned users to the Metro apps if those apps ran in a window just like ordinary programs for non touch environments. They just want to sell apps and convince PC users to buy Window 8 Phones and Tablets, but this may have turned away many potential customers. Windows 8 works fine for touch tablets, laptops, and phones but the desktop user will never enjoy a touch based tailored environment. Raising your hands to large displays is uncomfortable and a mouse centric tailored environment is essential. You can say Microsoft want to kill the dektop but that is where gamers and techies thrive.
    Reply
  • Larry Bob
    So DirectX 11.1 is still for less than 10% of the market...

    Yeah, don't expect adoption of THAT for a while...
    Reply