What you need to know
- Windows 11 holds 30% of the market share, pushing Windows 10 to 65%.
- The slight gain is attributed to Windows 10's looming end of support and the hype building around AI PCs.
- You'll need a Copilot+ PC to access Microsoft's new AI features that just shipped as part of the 24H2 release.
Microsoft launched Windows 11 as Windows 10's successor in October 2021. However, the firm's hopes for the operating system haven't fully come to fruition, which can be attributed to its stringent system requirements, flawed design elements, and more.
Despite Microsoft's aggressive ad campaign to get Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11, users are seemingly hell-bent on sticking to Windows 10. As you may know, Microsoft is slated to end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, and has been rallying users to upgrade to Windows 11 to avoid inconveniences. The company even recommends the operating system as an excellent source for celebrity gossip, stocks, and weather updates.
Windows 10's inevitable doom, coupled with the hype around Copilot+ PCs, is seemingly mounting pressure on users to transition to Windows 11.
According to Statcounter's latest report highlighting the Windows operating system market share, Windows 11 now holds 30.83% of the market share—the highest bar since its launch (via Neowin).
Consequently, this has pushed Windows 10's dominant grasp on the market share saddle down to 65%. Comparatively, Windows 11 held 29.7% of the market share last month, depicting a slight gain.
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Is Windows 10's death and AI PCs enough?
Market analysts and experts are betting big on Windows 10's looming death and the hype building around AI PCs to foster the great upgrade to Windows 11. However, it's not that simple. Microsoft's integration of AI across its tech stack has further complicated the system requirements for Windows 11, version 24H2, which ships with crazy new AI features like Live Translation, Windows Studio Effects, and more.
The AI-powered features ship exclusively to Windows users with the coveted Copilot+ PCs with dedicated NPUs (neural processing units). Interestingly, a new report suggested that no one uses AI tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT. Does this mean AI is a fad? Another reported that over 30% of AI projects will be abandoned by 2025 after proof of concept.
Microsoft is mainly in its investors' good books, especially after its recent earnings report. Investors have raised concerns that the tech firm's expenditures don't match its profits. At times, even Microsoft's exorbitantly priced extended security update (ESU) program for Windows 10 seems more attractive since users will get to retain their devices and continue to receive essential security updates well beyond Windows 10's imminent death.
Windows 10's end of support could potentially lead to "the single biggest jump in junked computers ever," with Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) indicating it could hurt Microsoft's sustainability and environmental goals.
Whenever I hop on Reddit or X (formerly Twitter), I feel like someone is transitioning from Windows to Linux. There's much Microsoft could do to make the Windows operating system user experience more worthwhile, such as taking cues from Stardock's Start11 or the Files app.
In the interim, the tech giant has a dedicated webpage highlighting Windows 11 features, comparing Windows 11 to Windows 10, and providing a detailed guide to help users identify and buy a new laptop.
