According to new figures released by web tracking company Net Applications, Windows 8.1’s monthly usage is steadily on the rise.
While the operating system boasted less than seven per cent of web traffic in September, that increased to 10.9 per cent in October and an all-time high of 12.1 per cent in November.
Windows XP, which Microsoft withdrew its support for in April, has simultaneously seen its popularity fall. With 13.5 per cent of web traffic in November, it is still just about more popular than 8.1, but this figure is far lower than the 23.8 per cent recorded by Net Applications for September.
If these trends continue in the same vein, Windows 8.1 could overtake XP as Microsoft’s number two desktop OS before we hit 2015. However, it still has a long way to go before claiming the top spot. Windows 7 is far and away Microsoft’s premier desktop OS, attracting a massive 53.7 per cent of web traffic last month.
Meanwhile, rival web tracker StatCounter claims that 8.1 is already ahead of XP in the web traffic stakes. Its rather different numbers suggest that 8.1 grabbed 10.95 per cent of web traffic in November, compared to XP’s 10.69 per cent.
Following Windows 8’s rather spectacular flop, Microsoft introduced Windows 8.1 as a slightly more mouse-and-keyboard-friendly alternative.
The company raised eyebrows earlier this year when it revealed that the next version of its desktop operating system will be called Windows 10, rather than 9. The announcement also invited a barrage of jokes at the company’s expense, suggesting that it wanted to put Windows 8 as far back into the past as possible.
The Windows 10 Technical Preview is already available for users to download and try out. The guide below will walk you through the entire process.
