Windows XP is still the third-most popular OS

Windows XP was launched a whopping 15 years ago but still can claim to be more popular than Windows 8.1. In the end, that feat couldn’t have been that hard given how dreadful it was. Still, it’s a remarkable performance Microsoft must be proud of despite having ended support for Windows XP two years ago.  Not much can stop die-hard fans from continuing to run it on their devices, though, even considering that third parties like as Google and Opera have also long ended their support for XP. None of this seems to bother Windows XP users in the slightest.

According to Tech Radar, Windows 10 currently has a market share of 14.15%, Windows 8.1 is on 9.56% of the world’s PCs, and Windows XP stands tall with a market share of 10.9% — making it the third most popular OS worldwide

• READ ALSO: How to Keep Using Windows XP after 2014

But how could this surprising reality be explained? It appears this is not a matter of choice: XP users haven’t make the transition to another Windows OS because they simply can’t. In emerging markets, most people use recycled computers that already have Windows XP installed on them. These users can’t afford to buy an original Windows 10 pack. Corporations also use Windows XP because they don’t have the necessary resources to upgrade their OS.

The main issue when it comes to using Windows XP is its vulnerability to threats. Since Microsoft has not rolled out any upgrades or security patches for two years now, the systems running Windows XP are exposed to risks, making them easy prey for all the malware programs that have released ever since 2014. Again, corporations using Windows XP are running the highest risk by using the outdated OS since malicious programs can break the system and send valuable or confidential data to hackers.

Nevertheless, Windows XP has been one of the most successful operating systems launched by Microsoft. Thanks to its plethora of features, its very user-friendly interface, its security level (let’s not forget that XP was launched in an era where malware and spyware became a huge problem) and its default browser among other elements, Windows XP is a king in the OS world. And who knows how long it will still be in the top three most popular OS?

• READ ALSO: Run Windows XP in Windows 10 With VirtualXP