Windows 7 beats Mac OS X after just one month – Microsoft owns Apple
Poor, poor Apple. It spends years trying to grab market share from Microsoft and yet still only manages to post paltry figures. Windows 7 has only been on general sale for a month yet its market share has already beaten that of all versions of Mac OS X. It must suck to be an Apple fanboy, always playing catchup yet never actually getting anywhere.
Windows 7 RTM has been with us just over a month, with the beta versions having been available several months longer than that. Mac OS X has been with us for over eight years now, starting with Cheetah (or 10.0) in 2001 and most recently adding Snow Leopard (or 10.6) to its lineup in 2009.
Unfortunately for Apple and its multitude of fanboys, proof that the company cannot ever hope to compete with Microsoft is now here. Internet metrics vendor Net Applications tracks which operating systems are being used by computers connecting to the Web. According to ComputerWorld, its most recent figures show that Windows 7 has already surpassed Mac OS X.
Last weekend (Sat, Nov. 21 and Sun, Nov. 22) saw 5 percent and 5.14 percent of all computers connecting to the Internet being powered by Windows 7. That two-day average of 5.07 percent is higher than the 5 percent managed by Apple’s Mac OS X for the week of Nov. 15-21.
Windows 7’s rise is happening astoundingly fast. The week after it launched its market share was 2.7 percent, the second week it was 3.3 percent, the third week it was 3.7 percent, the fourth week it was 4 percent. And now the weekend average has hit the 5 percent mark and overtaken Apple’s OS in the process.
Windows’ overall share increased as well, rising from an already-huge 92.52 percent in October to 92.64 for the week of Nov. 15-21. Clearly Microsoft and Windows 7 are back in the saddle where they belong.
OK, so Windows 7 may have borrowed from Mac OS X a little but its mainstream appeal is clearly much higher than that of the Apple operating system.
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November 27th, 2009
A trully pathetic article. Pointing out the obvious yet not understanding anything about the real world. I wonder if you ever leave you mums basement.
When you understand the difference between margins and Market share come back bragging about how well MS is really doing. Talk about fanboys! You are of the worst class. Uninformed little bratt. Cone out from mummy’s basement. The real world is not what you think it is. Nor what you read in blogs
November 27th, 2009
You know, this stance is tired. Windows pundits always jab with that Fanboy nonsense. Who cares? Seriously, who cares. Almost every intelligent user of worth understands that Apple has the superior operating system. That is all that matters. More people use Windows? OF COURSE ! Guess what…more people eat at McDonald’s, watch American Idol, listen to the Jonas Brothers, drink Budweiser, shop at the Gap, drive Focuses, read Stephanie Meyer, and stand in line for New Moon tickets than anything else. What’s your point? Keep your quantity, we’ll take quality. Do you honestly think anyone at Apple, with their 26 billion dollar or so pile of disposable cash, give the slightest whiff of care about your opinion on this? Take my word on it. No. Have fun with your crappy OS, you sheep. And may Steve Balmer remain CEO of Microsoft for as long as it takes.
November 27th, 2009
What would you expect? There are more PCs in use than MACs. There were more buggy and problematic Windows operating systems in existence than the MAC OS. Consequently, users dumping XP, Vista, and possibly earlier versions would naturally outpace the Apple OS, regardless of version. Anyone with a brain, reading skills and a modest interest in computers would know this. Apple knows this. It is undeniable. I use Windws and Mac’s and both have good and bad virtues. But overall, I am much more satisfied with Apple. It is a personal choice.
November 27th, 2009
A trully pathetic article. Pointing out the obvious yet not understanding anything about the real world. I wonder if you ever leave you mum’s basement.
When you understand the difference between profit margins and Market share come back bragging about how well MS is really doing. Talk about fanboys! You are of the worst class. Uninformed little bratt. Cone out from mummy’s basement. The real world is not what you think it is. Nor what you read in blogs
November 27th, 2009
Seeing as most people on the planet already own PCs, the wisest and most likely thing to do is upgrade instead of buy a totally new operating system. Of course Windows 7 earned more money than anything made by Mac this year! Windows will still earn more shares, cash, and fans for all eternity as long as over 50% of computer owners possess Windows-running computers. I am not a “Mac Fanboy,” but I own a Macbook Pro laptop, which I purchased to use in college for graphic design, reliability, and my own personal preference for its aesthetic appeal.
Try comparing operating systems to cars; you can buy a perfectly wonderful, reliable, and utilitarian “normal” car, or you can buy a super-expensive sports car that can do things the normal car can’t do. Using the sports car in the average suburb is pretty pointless, but if you’re say, a race car driver, then you can’t bring out your old Toyota Corolla to the race track and expect to get the best usage out of it. Likewise, buying a Mac when you don’t need its features or programs is a waste of (tons of) money, but if you need to make a movie and want the best programs out there, then getting FinalCut on a Mac will give you the tools to success that Windows can’t offer. It all comes down to what you want to do… there are hardly any situations out there where one isn’t better than the other for a certain person. When I get a home computer someday, it will very likely be a PC. But my laptop’s staying as my wonderful Mac.
November 27th, 2009
What a stupid premise for an article. But considering the source, no surprise. Gotta churn out a new article every day huh Dave, regardless of how ridiculous or what silly flame bait it might be?
November 27th, 2009
Luis I’d like to offer you a high five on the double post!
Also, I apologize if the author hit a nerve with you; it seems you are rather upset that someone points out these simple statistics. Its just the knee jerk reaction I supposed; for years people who like Windows are being told Apple is better, catching up, and will cause Microsoft to go extinct. As you can see from this article, this isn’t the case at all.
November 27th, 2009
Windows 7 is good but now I realize that Vista wasn’t all that bad. Same kernel.
November 27th, 2009
I never used a Mac and they have high customer satisfaction. I like the software choices you have with Windows. (hardware too)
November 27th, 2009
Microsoft won’t gain much market share overall. To be honest, the statistics are very unsurprising and I would have predicted such a high percentage of Windows 7 computers accessing the internet – after all, most Vista users will be upgrading, many purchased cut price preorder copies and besides all else, many PCs for months have been offered with a free upgrade. Add to this the fact that a surge of orders for people who put off buying a PC until the release of Windows 7 and will have increased its marketshare and its no surprise whatsoever.
You seem to try to defend Microsoft at every turn, David Parrack, while not noticing any of the merits of Apple. The stats are no surprise whatsoever and to be honest, Apple still have the superior operating system, although not by a huge margin these days. The stats are only an estimate as well… such small differences in usage are incredibly negligible.
November 27th, 2009
Poor pathetic Windows users, for whom this sad excuse for an OS is actually an improvement! I’ll stick with Mac OS X and count myself lucky (or just better informed).
As the catch-phrase goes: Good luck with that.
November 27th, 2009
This post reminds me of articles describing stock market that is compared to actual possession of gold.
As of today, I see Apple keeping strong profit margins – even at “black Friday” the discount is mere 101 dollars.
Apple knows its user base/market and is not going to discount their hardware. I’m not talking about software. That IS the difference. What hardware does Microsoft produce? Anyone is seeing their push for branding phones, etc with their Windows logo. What else?
My wife LOVES her brand new MacBook Pro. She is upset only at one fact – that she didn’t purchase Mac long time ago. After ordering “boo-boo” by Apple, they admitted right away that they are COMMITTED to keep her as their client – they gave XXX dollars credit and a return shipping label in case she still wanted to return MBP. After this gesture – who in their right mind will go back to Windows-based system?
Outstanding quality-built machines by Apple – that is for sure.
As for the operating systems – as long as it is stable and provides solid functionality with no system failures. That IS the trick. But that is my opinion.
November 27th, 2009
this isnt news lol, apple never gained more then MS wtf is this article about how can you even have a job writing what you clearly dont even understand
November 27th, 2009
Haha, the fruity bunch act like somebody murdered their mothers.
IT’S ONLY A COMPUTER. A NON-LIVING OBJECT.
November 27th, 2009
The market cap of Apple has been steadily growing and its expected to be bigger then MicroSoft in the next 2-3 years. MicroSoft, has continued to lose market cap and has been firing and laying off staff like crazy recently.
Wasnt the PC supposed to be the gaming machine, oh wait, nope, they had to build an x-box for that. No matter how many Zunes, how many mobile windows and microsoft keyboards and mice, it still cant stay ahead of Apple forever.
Its sad that you measure success by the number of PC users opting to continue to use windoze. Of course, an ever growing number of PC users are opting instead to install OS X on a PC using Empire EFI
November 27th, 2009
LOL.. Dave.. I think you are the biggest fanboy ever
November 27th, 2009
I bet you are also the type who sits there arguing for days on end why Xbox is better then Playstation, just cause you happen to own one.
Microsoft couldn’t give a hoot about you and your articles mate, just as long as you line their pockets.
Dave Dave Dave *sighs*
November 27th, 2009
So, in just over a month less than 5% of Windows users had upgraded to Windows 7? That’s quite poor…
In the month after Snow Leopard was released, anything from 24% to 50% of Mac users had upgraded to it.
http://daringfireball.net/2009/09/snow_leopard_adoption_rate
http://www.macworld.com/article/142933/2009/09/snow_leopard_adoption.html
It must suck being a Windows fanboy knowing that it will take decades for most Windows users to be running the latest version…
November 27th, 2009
Guess what? I am not upgrading to Windows 7. I can’t afford to upgrade TWICE. First to add more ram to run the OS and second to buy the OS.
Vista was great for Mac sales, now that former Windows users have gone to Mac during Vista’s “reign”
…how many of them do you think of them will come back because MSFT finally “got it right”?
Those users saw the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. Good for them, they finally broke away from the “upgrade fever hype” and Windows many issues.
Vista was also great for the Linux’ community too, many of them who left Windows apparently don’t want to come back either. Those that didn’t leave Windows entirely still dual boot with Linux and enjoy the best (or worst) of both worlds.
What do I use? I have used Mac a few times, I have had Mac OS 9 and OSX Panther and Tiger.
I’m mainly sticking with XP and Linux. Just because MSFT “finally got it right” isn’t compelling enough (or affordable) for me enough to “upgrade”.
I would swear that the article was written by someone from the Microsoft staff…nah must be my imagination…
November 28th, 2009
@ jools. 5% of windows users upgraded to windows 7 and your saying thats poor? Well thats probably the same or more than the total number of osx users. The reason a higher percentage upgraded to snow leopard is because it was cheap and more of just a patch rather than a new os. I’m sorry but the numbers don’t lie. Microsoft is still and will be for a long time, the market leader in operating systems.
November 28th, 2009
This guy is like the guy that goes to the Olympics and cheers for the Chinese at the gymnastics event. Everyone here already knows the Chinese team is going to win, so they stay home and watch it on TV. This guy routes for the team he knows is going to win. I have a sneaking suspicion that if OS X was the #1 in market share, he would have written about how Windows should just give up and that Bill Gates needs to find a new job. Get off Apple’s ?!¢?
November 28th, 2009
@Bob
5% adoption rate for Windows 7 after 1 month is FAR WORSE than 24-50% for Snow Leopard in the same time scale.
When you are comparing two differing amounts the only accurate or fair way of doing so is on a pro-rata basis. Compare them as a proportion of the total.
Having such a huge proportion of Windows users still on older versions (even XP from 2001) with no plans to upgrade, is holding back the Windows platform. Software developers can’t take advantage of newer features/technologies in Windows 7 because they have to stay compatible with XP.
Mac users upgrade far quicker than Windows users, so Mac developers are able to take advantage of newer features much more quickly.
If you only define “market leader” in terms of user numbers, then yes, Microsoft is way ahead. Apple isn’t even trying to compete on user numbers. Apple is happy with its (steadily increasing) market share.
However, if you compare in terms of customer satisfaction, ease-of-use, user interface, lack of malware, innovation, etc. all but the most die-hard Windows zealots will tell you Apple is ahead.
How many other people use the same OS as me is irrelevant. I just want a machine that does the jobs I bought it for as quickly, reliably and effortlessly as possible.
For many people that’s a Windows PC but for an increasing number of others, that’s a Mac.
November 28th, 2009
hmm, so the previous version of osx was sooo good that 1/4 of all users felt it necessary to upgrade within 1 month. clearly a sign of a superior os. seriously where does this myth still come from that osx is better than windows? it is just as prone to crashes as windows, possibly even more than windows 7. the user interface is no better or worse than 7 and hardware compatibility with windows is so much greater.
November 28th, 2009
You’ll need to understand that this is 5% of more than 1 Billion PC which is remarkable for any OS no matter how much market share you have. Covering 5% in a month is not a joke.
As far as Mac fans or I should say fan, because it seems like same person has post comment repeatly, crying foul. Well Mac fans will have to suck these stats.
They have been talking trash about Windows for years and we didn’t saya thing, now its our turn. The way in Mac fans has reacted since the release of Win 7 clearly suggests that they are scared of Windows.
November 28th, 2009
The unknown truth to many people is that Mac OS X is superior to the latest versions of Windows. There are far too many bugs in Windows that can’t be counted.
–There are two kinds of problems: Software and Hardware.
In Windows, there are so many problems that are not solved. In Vista, too much RAM is used just for optimizing the OS speed. But, the speed doesn’t change at all. And it isn’t a really amazing OS. Now people are talking about Windows 7 having a better interface then Mac OS X. Please do understand without Apple, Microsoft would be MUCH MUCH worst off then Apple. When Microsoft bought the sourcecode for the Mac OS with ALL ITS SHARES, it copied Mac OS and added UNNECESSARY features. Which were ONLY MINOR add-ons to the Mac OS and made it their main OS later on in the History of Windows.
I don’t think many of you know this fact but the fastest speed that Windows XP, Vista and 7 are runned on is actually on a MacBookPro. HOWEVER, Apple-users mostly use the built-in Mac OS X.
The true facts are up there. Now is the mindblowing one that even many hardcore users of Windows will hate:
Mac OS X has the most stable OS and has a CLEAN REPORT of NO SOFTWARE-BASED crashes so far in Mac OS X Leopard.
Many of you will say: Bull****, no way, those are lies. Just plain crap to get people buy something they just paint white with their d***heads.
If you are going to find a Mac OS X Leopard glitch, go ahead, because you can’t. Most problems are caused by applications in use. The others are caused by hardware and NEVER BY OS.
So suck it up Windows users. You can tell us the truth but the truth stays that Mac OS X is always the superior OS.
My cousin used his computer for less than a week, a new computer with Windows 7 installed. He was checking through his photos that he took in Italy over the weekend and encountered a problem. The description was ‘Page Fault in Non-Paged Area’. This is just crap that Mac OS X will never get. What kind of shitty OS is Windows? Page Fault? Well that sucks and you know it. It shouldn’t even be a problem. And it comes with a wonderful BLUE SCREEN too.
November 28th, 2009
dude your just stupid. borrowed a little from mac os x? well go have coffee with kumar, grannie knitters. windows always copies mac os x stupid. thats how it got its appeal dumbass. go fuck yourself.
November 28th, 2009
Some fucker just said that we mac users are scared of a fucking shitoff windows os? go have a look at mac os x and you’ll shit in your grannie knickers fuckass
November 28th, 2009
Oh come on guys!! This is just talking about some stuff in the market. And guys, let what is the truth be the truth. Losers using Windows are always what they are. Pwners using Mac OS X are always what we are. If you ever notice, only the poor shits use Windows and DELL. The celebs and designers all use Mac. Dude, your talking wroooong numbers and I think this article is just a FALLOVER. fall on it dude, you suck. and @WindowsSUX, dont use f***. I will give you an infringement
November 30th, 2009
Heh heh – wow look at the MacFans replies – like angry Queens!
November 30th, 2009
And you are surprised why people call you Apple fanboys! It is a computer after all!!!!!!! Calm down….. I live in India and recently heard that there was something called ‘Apple fanboys’. Was amazed to hear of that. I am myself planning to buy myself a Macbook Air this month. But I won’t lose my calm over an article. But, now I really see what everyone means by ‘Apple fanboys’. I will do my best to not be one of them, though.
I’ve got consumer power.
November 30th, 2009
Well, so many people who switched to Mac praise the OS. Hence, I have no reason to not believe that Mac OS is superior to Windows. But as a simple Windows user, I am not looking for perfection. I will settle for imperfection if I save some bucks. It’s a trade-off. I don’t even want the beauty, speed, etc of Windows 7. Give me more imperfection at a cheaper system+OS cost. And who’s to say that I am a fool? Just, my areas of interest are different from yours. My job is not to sit on PC all day, but just to browse a little from time to time, or check my e-mails. To each his own. Else, all the top performers of the world would have an Apple.
November 30th, 2009
I love reading all these Mac fan boy trolls. It’s funny how indignant you all become when faced with the raw facts about OS usage on the internet. What I noticed is that all of your posts have two things in common; spelling errors and the fact that your opinions sound identical to propanda dialogue originated from one of those cheezy mac commercials. Congratulations, your minds are just as easily swayed by marketing as Windows/PC users. One in particular referenced the “aesthetics” of Macs. Am I confused or didn’t this article reference software superiority? What does that have to do with the machine’s plastic shell? Like I said, mirror image of a Mac commercial in the form of posting.
December 2nd, 2009
@Kevin Neugent, More people own iPods than any other music player. Don’t forget to add that to your list of inferior crap that sheep gobble up.
December 2nd, 2009
I love the comment about how only the “poor shits” are using Windows and DELL, but the celebs and designers are using Mac. HAHAHA. That is quite the measure of quality. Celebs also love the T-Mobile Sidekick. I rest my case.
December 3rd, 2009
You apple fan boys ar pathetic.
Apple is a better operating system? Don’t make me laugh.
Apple is like a fast sports car, compared to an old toyota corolla? Are you serious? Where do you idiots come up with this stuff?
Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t get brainwashed so easilly. I mean, I don’t feel like paying endless amounts of money on mere service packs to my OS. That would be on top of the extremely outrageously expensive price tag on the computer itself.
Please, apple might be more expensive, like comparing cars, I guess, but, in the computer world, the price of the OS (and the computer that it came with) is not a true indicator of quality.
Windows is so much more easier to use, apple is extremely confusing.
With with Windows I have choice to endless extents from apps to hardware, which apple could never compare to.
All apple has is a good marketing team. They can’t even talk about the “good” or “better” features of mac’s, because there is no such thing (a true better feature of mac vs windows), or a good feature, well, sure mac might have some, but, they never mention it on there commercials, all they talk about is how much they think windows “sucks”. Seems pretty lame. Most of those disgusting commercials are filled with lies and overexaggerations.
I know someone that is a developer, and he told me that windows is just a much better sytem to work with.
Also, if you think about it, mac is just a recycled operating system from the 60s with a steve jobs candy coated interface, at least at microsoft, they can make there own code. A long time ago, you were able to say that windows is insecure, and glitchy (at that time so was mac, and most OS’es), but they have fixed much of that, and are working hard at continuing improvements in those areas among others.
Mac’s are for idiots who get brainwashed easily, by lie-filled commercials.
For now, new windows 7 users are old windows users switching, but, once 7 will have over 20% market share, I will make a good guess and say by summer 2010, the momentum will be so large it will make the mac market shares climb upwards halt, and I’m pretty sure that by winter 2010, you will begin seeing the mac market share decreasing again. This will happen, if not by winter 2010, then at the latest by summer 2011, you will see, it’s only inevitable, bound to happen, apple fanboys, stop lieing to yourself.
December 6th, 2009
Windows 7, heck Windows in general, is and will continue to be a great operating system. What other company besides Microsoft lets you easily create applications for free. Sure, you can’t sell your Visual Studio 2008 Express apps but you sure can give them away for free.
Neither MAC or Linux can provide really easy application development like Microsoft can for Windows.
Windows will continue to dominate because it simply provides more.
December 8th, 2009
Stop comparing windows the OS to apple the computer. Windows has to work with many brands and even homemade comps. Try that with an apple. “stick that in your oven”
December 16th, 2009
I have a macbook pro and I also have another comp with Windows 7. I am studying software engineering and I find myself using both MacOS X and Windows. I just want want to say these computers don’t rule my life and for all of you that get offended by this article, just get a life man. Go out, have fun!…. Use what you want and leave it at that.
December 17th, 2009
“Also, if you think about it, mac is just a recycled operating system from the 60s with a steve jobs candy coated interface, at least at microsoft, they can make there own code.”
So is Windows. Ultimately based on DOS, which was not created by Microsoft.
Anyway, I think both Operating Systems have their merits. I’m getting a macbook soon and I’ll be using Bootcamp to dual boot OSX and Win7. I’ll get the best of both worlds.
Honestly, I think both sets of fanboys need to shut up and stop trying to win an unwinnable argument. Until either Apple or Microsoft stop making Operating Systems (REALLY REALLY unlikely), neither has won the “war” if you really want to call it that. So STFU and get on with your lives.
January 25th, 2010
Microsoft doesn’t own Apple. People are just tired of working with Vista and having it suck so bad. Windows 7 sucks less, but still has crashing problems that force it to reboot. NO OS is perfect and snow leopard does have its problems, but the crashes when they happen are painless compared to the windows counterpart.