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The newest numbers show that more and more people are making the switch to Windows 8.  According to the latest numbers released by analytics... Windows 8 is Adopted by More Users in January

The newest numbers show that more and more people are making the switch to Windows 8.  According to the latest numbers released by analytics firm Net Applications, the Windows 8 adoption rate increased by over 30 percent in January.  The increase in adoption is perhaps not surprising, as  the Windows 8 release, which occurred more than three months ago, was accompanied by a massive advertising blitz .

Windows 8 is Adopted by More Users in January

As the newest version of the  windows operating system,  Windows 8 is markedly different from former versions.  Significant changes were made to the operating system’s platform, particularly with an eye toward improving user experience on mobile devices.  In short, Windows 8 is touch screen friendly, has multiple performance improvements, and significant security enhancements.  Critics have complained that it is difficult to learn the new system when not using a touchscreen device, and it has been speculated that businesses may be slow to upgrade their systems due to changes.

While the numbers do show that there has been a steady increase in the adoption rate, which is perhaps due to the significant positive upgrades to the new operating system, the overall numbers still tell us a different story.  Windows 8 still only accounts for 2.26 percent of the overall market.  This small percentage has steadily increased over the past few months, from 1.72 percent in December and from 1.09 percent in November.

Although the adoption rate is on the rise, the numbers show that the majority of users have not made the switch, and continue to stay with older versions of Windows.  Interestingly, the numbers from Net Applications show that the Windows 7 operating system is still the most popular at this time.  At 44.48 percent, it is currently the operating system on almost half of all computers. Despite being more than a decade old, the Windows XP operating system comes in at a strong second, with a market share of 39.5 percent.  Windows Vista, the least favored of the previously released operating systems, is used by only 5.24 percent of users.

[Image via wallpaperloft]