Microsoft accidentally communicated that the number of Windows users worldwide had fallen sharply. The figures have since been adjusted, and although there is no decrease in absolute figures, Microsoft’s operating system is relatively declining.
1.4 billion, that is more than a billion. That’s how Microsoft described the number of Windows users in a blog post about Windows 10 on June 24. Numerous (international) media drew their (incorrect) conclusions. They interpreted “more than a billion” as simply “a billion”. Given that Microsoft boasted 1.4 billion users three years ago, 400 million Windows customers would have thrown out their machines.
Insane
Does that seem insanely high and unrealistic? That’s right. The blog post in question used the phrase “more than a billion” to outline the popularity of Windows in the introduction, and then to talk about the imminent end of Windows 10 support. The statement was not intended as an accurate analysis of the number of users.
Never let facts get in the way of a good headline, was the motto in many newsrooms. However, quality media such as ZDNet and Techspot were able to calculate the difference between “more than a billion” and “1.4 billion” without additional information and arrived at the figure of 400 million, which is now circulating online as the number of users that Microsoft has lost in three years.
Status Quo
Yusuf Mehdi, Executive VP, Consumer CMO and author of the blog in question, must have choked on his American coffee. Without too much fuss, the text was adjusted. The number of monthly Windows users is now “more than 1.4 billion”, analogous to three years ago.
The number of Windows users on a monthly basis has not decreased significantly.
Too bad for the headlines, but the number of Windows users on a monthly basis has not decreased significantly. Nor does it seem to have increased, as Microsoft is still touting the figure of 1.4 billion, although the words “more than” also create uncertainty here.
Mobile in Charge
Does that mean that everything is going well with Microsoft and Windows? That may be a bit of an oversimplification. The way people use computers is changing. The laptop is no longer the personal computer of choice, and Microsoft has completely missed the mobile train.
Let’s take smartphones, tablets and classic computers together for a moment. Then we see that Microsoft with Windows had about 36.58 percent of the market in its hands some five years ago. Android is doing a little better as the most popular mobile OS with 38.33 percent. Five years later, Windows is at 24.77 percent and Android at 47.67.
Along with the shape of the computer, the favorite operating system is also changing, and Microsoft cannot benefit. When we use a narrower version of the computer concept and only look at classic laptops and desktops, Microsoft remains dominant. Statcounter states that Windows has a market share of 70.14 percent today, compared to 77.68 five years ago.
The two biggest risers are “Unknown”, which indicates a measurement problem, and MacOS, which has only recently been counted correctly. Taking into account the margin of error, we should call Windows’ super-dominant share of the laptop and desktop market rather stable.
Challenge, not Exodus
Not much will change in the business segment. More broadly, the question is whether consumer users of a Windows 10 laptop will be willing to pay money for a device with Windows 11 when support expires. Perhaps they will find that a good smartphone, a tablet or a much cheaper Chromebook will suffice. Worldwide, growth does not seem to be in the PC segment at all.
So Microsoft and Windows are stagnating a bit. Redmond has not suddenly lost 40 percent of the Windows clientele, but a major growth is not on the cards either.