Android Beats Windows for Top OS…Sort Of
With the popularity of mobile browsing overtaking desktop-based browsing some time ago, it should come as no surprise that the widespread Android operating system has finally clawed its way to the top.
However, they made it to the top with a few contextual asterisks to keep in mind.
No Rounding
Per data provided by StatCounter, Android’s lauded operating system passed Microsoft’s Windows in sheer usage across all devices—mobile or otherwise—with a mere 0.02 percent lead.
Android-based platforms accounted for 37.93 percent of internet usage, while Windows is trailed with a 37.91 percent usage rate.
The numbers themselves may not seem all that impressive, but the principle behind them marks the beginning of uncharted waters for the tech world: for the first time since the 1980s, Windows isn’t the highest-traffic platform. Even accounting for the boom in mobile use, Android still came out on top (and iOS isn’t even a part of the discussion).
Windows to the Sol (purposeful misspelling)
Another somewhat disconcerting point here is just how far Windows fell in popularity in the past five years.
Since 2012, Windows has dropped over 40 percentage points in usage, while Android has gained over 35 percentage points.
That kind of growth combined with Windows’ clear drop in ratings suggests a different kind of future for the tech giants.
Perhaps Windows flew too close the sun and, in an effort to innovate, failed even to iterate.
Meanwhile, Android continues to impress as the once-overlooked (and occasionally volatile) brand continues to stick its many fingers in other people’s pastries.
On That (Galaxy) Note
I would be remiss in not mentioning Windows’ domination of the desktop and personal computer market, where it lays claim to 84 percent of Internet usage. Similarly, the study referenced above fails to account for Xbox console operating systems, which are an iteration of Windows.
However, context matters more than semantics here— were it purely a match-up between Android and Windows mobile platforms, it wouldn’t even be a contest.
