Windows is no longer the most popular OS

The time has come to speak about today’s most popular operating systems. When people are asked this question – the most popular answer is obvious. Of course, it Windows. But statistics is a very stubborn science relying on facts. And facts are saying that there is a new king concerning popularity among users. If Windows is not on top, then what is? You might ask. Mac OS? Linux? None of those to our surprise! According to the report by StatCounter, Android is a new big boss. Although surprising, it is easily explainable, nevertheless. With the rapid development of smartphones Android has been slowly but steadily climbing to the top and now it is there. But let us think critically on this topic and try to understand what this popularity means to the virtual world and users?


The only consolation for Microsoft after losing this battle is the numbers. Android did not win by a huge margin. Android’s share of the market is 37,93%, while Microsoft is just barely behind with 37,91%. Judging by the facts provided in the report there are several main reasons to back up Android’s success. Asia’s influence on the global market, decaying popularity of PC, and increasing numbers of smartphone sales. But if we go back to desktops – there is no surprise that Windows holds its positions firmly. Mac and Linux are just following the leader. Affordable prices and easy operation make smartphones on Android the people’s choice. Nevertheless, this platform has it obvious minuses: limited access to MS Office functions, low-data processing capacity, high power usage, etc.

However, there is one major issue with Android we want to stress on in this article. When you compare Android and Windows statistics regarding cyber security, you will see how the first fall far behind. You cannot stay on top of the charts without dealing with major security flaws and exploits in your system. Otherwise, your dedicated users will be an easy target for scammers of all sorts and ransomware developers as well. You have probably heard about malicious software that has struck fear into the hearts of Android users all over the world, have not you?

Cyber criminals are not leaving attempts to improve their malware for the most popular OS willingly, you know. Some Chinese companies have been caught red-handed in installing spyware and malware in cheap smartphones for US and EU markets. In addition to that, Android is still almost defenseless against ads-injected Trojans. We’re not talking just about annoying advertisements but also about spyware which transmit user’s personal info to remote servers. Another big problem with Android’s security is limited antivirus usability due to some algorithms being incompatible with the operating system. Having no anti-malware protection Android users can only rely on their vigilance and awareness.

Information added: 04/04/2017 10:44 PM;