Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 3, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Mac OS X has gained substantially among internet users, increasing its market share by around one third within a year, and could reach a double-digit share over the next twelve months if the trend continues. This is shown by figures from web analyst Net Applications. Apple’s operating system is therefore Windows’ closest challenger. The market leader remains unchallenged, although its share is declining slowly but steadily and could soon fall below the 90-percent mark.
According to Net Applications, 7.94 percent of internet users used Mac OS X in June this year. That represents a clear increase from around six percent a year earlier. If the trend continues, it is conceivable that in roughly a year one in ten users will browse using Apple’s operating system. This is the main reason the combined market share of all Windows versions has now fallen to 90.89 percent; if the trend persists, fewer than nine out of ten users could be using Windows before the end of this calendar year. Linux doubled its share within a year but remains far behind at less than one percent.
Alongside operating systems commonly used on desktops and notebooks, Net Applications also records those on less conventional devices. Game consoles remain exotic as internet devices: Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii together account for less than half a per mille. Apple’s iPhone already has four times that market share, despite still lacking 3G support for genuinely fast mobile internet access.
Net Applications’ figures are based on analysis of visits to websites that the company says are representative of the overall market, with a base of around 160 million visitors per month. They therefore indicate usage trends rather than sales figures.
Further links:
- Net Applications
