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MICROSOFT HAS KICKED off 2016 by announcing that more than 200 million users are now using the latest version of Windows.
Windows 10 was launched on 29 July and was quickly adopted by users, downloaded 75 million times within the first month. By October, it was downloaded by 110 million users, meaning it gained 90 million in three months.
In a post announcing the milestone, the company said it was the fastest adoption of any version of Windows. A major part of this is down to Microsoft offering Windows 10 as a free upgrade to those using Windows 7 and 8 users, an offer that is valid for the first year of its release.
When the offer ends in late July, those who want to upgrade will have to pay or purchase a new PC or laptop.
The announcement is good news for Microsoft whose big aim is to have the software running on a billion devices within two to three years of launch. The vast majority of upgrades have come from PCs and laptops while on mobile, the only two smartphones running Windows 10 now are the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, which were only released last month.
The Windows 10 upgrade for smartphones has hit delays, but Microsoft has promised it would be arriving soon.
The company included other stats with its announcement such as the amount of time users have been playing games on Windows 10 (four billion hours) and those streaming their Xbox One games to their PC (6.6 million hours).
Also, 44.5 billion minutes have been spent in Microsoft Edge, the successor to Internet Explorer, while 11 billion hours have been spent on Windows 10 in December.
As for the app store, Microsoft claims that Windows 10 usage has generated four times more revenue per device, compared to Windows 8.
“We are even more excited that these customers are loving Windows 10,” said Yusuf Mehdi. ”Overall, we are seeing significantly higher customer satisfaction with Windows 10 than any prior version of Windows”.
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No wonder when they are forcing it down your gob at every opportunity.
Exactly! At one point they forced people into installing Windows 10 by automatically including it in windows updates…
Most older laptops will have driver issues in Windows 10
Went back to Windows 8, 10 had nothing but faults.
If you think that going back to Windows 8 will solve any issues then the problem bay be between chair and keyboard!
I always used to use Windows but then I downloaded Linux Mint which is free originates in Ireland and I find it much faster and not bloated for my old computer. But to each his own, its good to have the choice of Windows or Linux.
Mint is a great choice
Totally agree Stephen it is easy to use too and not much worries about viruses.
Mint is very good especially jumping across from Windows
Depends on what you’re after really. Big fan of linux but there are some things that just aren’t available for it.
For a long time linux distros were a lot less user friendly and they’ve really gotten over that now for the most part.
It’s the absolute business for breathing life into an older comp…
I will stick with El Capitan thanks.
And another 10 million using windows 7 are being forced to upgrade because of computer shutdown/windows update problems. Systems wont update, wont shut down “for some strange reason”
Finally. Microsoft is making a comeback. Take that Apple!
I’d definitely buy surface pro before a mac. Never been a fan of apple and how restrictive it is. Anyway not that it matters because I can’t afford either…
Macs run like a dream.
Windows 10 !!!! :( …bring back windows 3.1
XP was the best windows release ever in my opinion, and runs like a dream on later laptop’s if you can live without the technical support.
Yup even the cracked copies of windows are getting upgrades.
Completely destroyed my hard drive!! It happened to approximately 10% of downloads in Ireland have driver issues after installing. Advice from Microsoft was basically tough luck
I went back to windows 8 because 10 just didnt run well on my laptop. Its not by any means an old laptop and it has good specs but windows 10 seemed to slow everything down and was sending my fan into overdrive.
It wouldn’t let me turn off my laptop. It was only 6 months old. Hated Windows 10. 8 is much better.
Probably should never do an upgrade of an operating system. Always do a clean install
In having the same issue. Usually put my laptop to sleep but it keeps turning it on again which means I have to shut it down completely
Anyone who doesn’t have €1000 for a laptop has to buy a Windows PC, this is hardly a ringing endorsement. It’s a monopoly, that’s all.
Get rid of the apps. Nobody cares about them on a desktop. People like Windows because of what it is or was.
They were always apps they just had more letters once upon a time ;)
Force people to upgrade and then are delighted that people do
Great when it works but a nightmare when it does not
Wonder how many people who do not known much about computers
did a backup of data and made a rescue media in case it all went wrong
Like everything Microsoft does
When it works then it is fine
When it goes wrong then it really f*#ks up
Way better with Linux
I have a non touch screen laptop with Windows 7 Pro and Office 2010. I can use Dragon Noturally Speaking Professional 13 and it does what I need it to do.
I bought a Windows 10 laptop, lots of RAM, high processor speed, SSD etc. I opted for Office 2016.
The new system is unstable and unusable. Dragon Naturally Speaking 13 is incompatible with Windows 10. Office 2016 is flakey. It’s more stable when I uninstalled Dragon but I need voice dictation because I have rheumatoid arthritis and my fingers often are too painful for significant keyboarding.
So, I went back to the old laptop, Dragon continues to work with Windows 7 and I can do what I need to do. It’s a pleasure to use.
I’m sure that 99.99% of PC users need Windows 10 for its super powerful functionality and for the millions of things that Windows 10 can do in everyday life that Windows 7 can’t do but Windows 7 does what I need to do and Windows 10 does not.
If you’re having issues with it simply throw it in the bin & buy a Mac. Problem solved
And risk having to use iTunes. No thanks!
Not to mention the cost. No thanks!
You get what you pay for. Having used windows for years at minimal cost would much rather pay for every last bit with my Mac. No comparison.
200 million people accidentally clicking on the persistent in your face option to upgrade to that rubbish operating system & 200 million utter regrets…..
The start button opens a limited menu, used to open everything now it’s a right click to get documents, any ideas??
You can fully customize the start menu
and put shortcuts to documents and whatever else you require
Just right-click an app or folder and click pin to start
You can then arrange them how you see fit
this link will help you
http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-customize-the-windows-10-start-menu/
Call me old school but just bring back xp lol
Iv upgraded for people multiple times. The oldest machine being a 5yr old laptop. Never once had any issues so i’m surprised by the amount of complaints here.
Amazing how a company can recruit 20 million testers & not have to pay a cent in wages. Brilliant.
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