Microsoft claims that Windows 10 is used on more than 900 million devices around the world.- The number is still 100 million short of Microsoft’s 1 billion target that it was meant to achieve by mid-2018.
- One of the primary reasons for the growth is more users shifting from Windows 7 to Windows 10 after Microsoft announced it will end support for the older operating system by next year.
While Windows 10 devices include the Xbox, HoloLens and the Surface Hub — most of the installation is still on personal computers.
Falling short
It might seem like 900 million is a very large number, but Microsoft had originally forecasted that Windows 10 would hit the 1 billion mark mid-2018.
Come 2019, the company is still 100 million short.
The aim behind developing Windows 10 was for it have a common core. This would allow the operating system to run on multiple devices, with minor tweaks.
It also made the operating free for users looking to upgrade from Windows 7 and Windows 8.
But, smartphones with the Windows 10 operating system were waning in popularity. In 2017, Microsoft finally announced that it will be exiting the smartphone market citing losses and drop in market share.
In January this year, it finally killed off the last of Windows phone.
Climbing back to the top
In March, Microsoft disclosed that it had 800 million active devices with Windows 10, up from 700 million in September the previous year.
A primary factor for this growth more people moving from Windows 7 to Windows 10 after Microsoft announced it will be ending free support for Windows 7 on 14 January 2020.
Microsoft might finally hit its coveted 1 billion mark by the end of the year or early 2020.
See also:
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