The last time we did a report on the operating system and browser stats was back in January 2009. In January Chrome was starting to take off as it passed 1% market share, and both Windows and Internet Explorer suffered some big blows as their competition scooped up some of their precious users.
According to Net Applications both Internet Explorer and Windows continues on a downward fall as users apparently seek out alternatives. Linux in particular has shot above the 1% mark as the platform scoops up the largest change since January when it comes to OS usage.
Here’s a graphical breakdown of the browser and OS stats for April 2009:
–Web Browsers–
Firefox continues to dominate the chart in terms of gaining the most market share, and Internet Explorer eats the biggest loss. Chrome is actually gaining traction rather quickly though, and may prove to be a solid competitor in the browser arena.
| January 2009 | April 2009 | Change | |
| Internet Explorer | 67.55% | 66.10% | -1.45% |
| Firefox | 21.53% | 22.48% | +0.95% |
| Safari | 8.29% | 8.21% | -0.08% |
| Chrome | 1.12% | 1.42% | +0.30% |
| Netscape | 0.57% | 0.82% | +0.25% |
| Opera | 0.70% | 0.68% | -0.02% |
| Mozilla | 0.07% | 0.10% | +0.03% |
| Opera Mini | 0.06% | 0.07% | +0.01% |
| Playstation | 0.04% | 0.05% | +0.01% |
–Operating Systems–
While Windows still has a majority of the Operating System market it is obvious that users are seeking out other options.
| January 2009 | April 2009 | Change | |
| Windows | 88.26% | 87.90% | -0.36% |
| Mac | 9.93% | 9.73% | -0.20% |
| Linux | 0.83% | 1.02% | +0.19% |
| iPhone | 0.48% | 0.55% | +0.07% |
I can only imagine where both the browser and OS stats might be towards the end of the year, and whether Microsoft can start sustaining their market share in both areas with the release of Windows 7. Only time will tell though.
A couple of interesting things: People don’t like the browsers that come with their computers. IE and Safari both have far less market share than the Windows or Mac OS. (remember, some of those Safari users are actually on windows, so the actual percentage of Mac users is somewhat lower.)
Second: How soon is it until Opera Mini overtakes Opera Desktop? One or two deals with Handset makers or Wireless providers should do it.
Third: The iPhone is a more viable operating system than Linux? Maybe not, but it’s about to pass them by.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Your charts are spectacular. I love them!
Again Netscape use increased (44%)? How do people get to install Netscape?! That just doesn’t make any sense.
Your change percentages are so small, undoubtedly within the range of error, that they are meaningless. Quit struggling to find “data” to back up your biases.
I think that the number of GNU Linux users are very bigger…
Ubuntu has made the different…
Yeah I know. They seem to be doing something others couldn’t have before and I have been a Linux user for nearly 10 years now. I am glad that it is being recognized.
I hear people talking about Opera Mini a lot more than I do Opera Desktop… so I’m a bit surprised that it hasn’t passed the desktop version yet.
When a browser drops more than a percent I wouldn’t say it’s insignificant. Especially when you look at the changes over the last year. While some of the changes might be small they do represent ongoing trends.
It seems the GNU/Linux numbers are two low, by like a factor of 4-5X, I could believe it back in the 90′s when most didn’t know about it at all. Besides virtually all the install-base of it is a second-OS; it isn’t generally sold, you have to go find it, a college gives you a LiveCD, etc., – very few OEM desktop system’s ship with it, even today. No SKU’s or seat licenses to track unlike the commercial offering’s. I’d guess a small (3-5%), and rapidly growing, chunk of that 87% is GNU/Linux if I was a wagering fool. I know that a couple old widows in the neighborhood have brought their malware laden boxes over and have been quietly converted to using the Penguin (PCLinuxOS) as I don’t want “repeat business” (not an IT guy). I know I have converted the 4-5 machines in our house to Ubuntu, Fedora, and Puppy (old laptop that never worked with wireless, until Puppy came along…go figure).