Android Now Threatening Windows’ Title As World’s Most Popular Operating System

Sure, Microsoft’s Windows is still the most widely used operating system in the face of the planet. But at the rate that Google’s Android mobile operating system is growing, it is only a matter of time before it ousts Windows from its throne. StatCounter certainly believes so, and has the stats to prove it. The web analytics service’s methodology involves keeping close track of global web traffic, with added emphasis on monitoring how device operating systems are faring. And based on its latest findings, StatCounter has discovered that 37.4 percent of all devices online were running on Android. And Windows’ mark? 38.6 percent, just one percent more than Android.

Even more worrying for Microsoft is the trend that seems to show a steady decline -- from a dominant 82 percent back in 2012, Windows’ share is consistently decreasing every year. Meanwhile, Android is on the rise -- from 2.2 percent in 2012, it is now at 37 percent in just half a decade. 

This should not be too surprising -- this decade has practically welcomed the dawn of the age of smartphone devices. Personal computers used to be the stuff people wanted to buy to be cool. This has now been supplanted by the latest touch screen handset, and it is a good bet that if you own a smartphone or tablet device not made by Apple, it probably is powered by Android. 

PC sales have continued to be unpredictable. At the beginning of this year, there were reports that the PC market has registered its fifth consecutive year of decreasing shipments. In 2016, shipments dove 6.2 percent, as reported by Gartner. 

Mobile devices on the other hand are still selling well (despite some slowed growth over the last few years). And as wireless tech continues to evolve and expand, people will have far wider uses of smartphones in the near future. The idea of the Internet of Things will mean more mobile gadgets, all likely to be running on Android. 

And because of recent advances in technology, some mobile devices now allow people to do things they could only accomplish before on PCs. For instance, online shopping -- more and more consumers now do their buying via mobile. The popularity of social media began in desktop, but is now becoming bigger than ever through smartphones. Productivity is perhaps the only area in which PCs still have some hold, but that could change soon.