14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft continues to urge users to upgrade from Windows XP to a newer and more secure operating system, but the 11-year-old platform remains the second most popular Windows version these days.
Data provided by market researcher Net Applications shows that Windows XP was installed on 37.74 percent of computers worldwide in May 2013, down from 38.31 percent in April.
As you can see, Windows XP is indeed losing users, but the operating system will most likely still be alive next year when Microsoft plans to retire it.
That’s not at all good news for the Redmond-based tech giant, especially because it hopes to move users to its new platforms, including Windows 8 and the upcoming Windows 8.1.
As far as users are concerned, on the other hand, security should be their main concern, as Microsoft would no longer release patches and security updated beyond April 8.
At this point, Windows XP is the second OS in the world after Windows 7 that’s still holding a 44.85 percent market share. Windows 8 is also gaining traction, reaching 4.27 percent in May.