At the end of June, the IT network Spiceworks analyzed the operating systems installed on laptops and desktops in companies. In terms of global market share, Windows 10 is still well behind Windows 7, but has overtaken Windows XP and is now in second place. Things looked different in March 2017: Back then, Windows XP had the second-highest share (14%) of operating systems used in companies worldwide, according to Spiceworks. Windows 10 had a 9% market share.

In the last three months, however, Windows 10 has grown and now runs on 13% of company laptops and desktops, while Windows XP runs on 11% of company computers. The study also found that 60% of global companies are already using at least one Windows 10 device.

With a market share of 68%, Windows 7 is still clearly dominant.

© Spiceworks

Windows 7 still has the largest market share, running on 68% of all company laptops and desktops. Windows 8 accounts for 5% and MacOS for 2%.

Companies recognize security risks

Spiceworks cites the cyberattacks of recent months as a possible reason for the growth: "More and more companies have upgraded their operating systems to Windows 10 in recent months, possibly due to ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and Petrwrap, which often target unpatched systems such as Windows XP and Vista," explains Peter Tsai, Senior Technology Analyst at Spiceworks. "Windows XP is still running in some organizations. However, it is clear that companies are increasingly recognizing the security risks associated with it and are prioritizing system upgrades to make their networks more secure."

Methodology

For the study "Windows 10 Adoption: Two Years After Launch", Spiceworks recorded the operating system data on June 30, 2017. It is based on anonymized, aggregated usage data from hundreds of thousands of IT professionals around the world who use Spiceworks software to inventory the laptops, desktops, servers and other network devices in their organizations. Companies of various sizes from different sectors were examined - including manufacturing, healthcare, education, government and finance.