Windows XP, IE Make Room for Replacements

Windows XP and Internet Explorer (IE) will soon have minority status on the Web, according to usage statistics gathered by NetMarketShare. The decline in Windows XP usage suggests that many organizations are already well under way in deployment of Windows 7, and those that still use Windows XP will find it increasingly hard to maintain and support. Meanwhile, the ongoing decline of IE and the rise of competing PC browsers and mobile devices will drive organizations toward development technologies for public Web sites and internal Web applications that handle a more diverse population of Web users.

Windows XP Now in Minority

Windows XP makes up less than half of unique visitors on the Web according to NetMarketShare estimates. (See the chart “Desktop OS Usage“.) NetMarketShare collects data from the browsers of site visitors to a worldwide network of more than 40,000 Web sites. (See the sidebar “Counting Software on the Web“.)

When Windows 7 became generally available in Oct. 2009, Windows XP was estimated to be responsible for 72% of browser usage. Two years later, the estimated usage from Windows XP has fallen below 50%, and it appears Windows 7 is on track to be the most widely used version of Windows. The group “All Other Windows,” which is mostly composed of Windows Vista, is already insignificant and continuing to decline.