Linux reaches a significant milestone with a 3% desktop market share
After 30 years, Linux has reached a significant milestone by capturing 3% of the desktop PC OS market. While this isn’t a massive leap, capturing a third of the desktop market is a big deal for the Linux operating system, which has struggled to gain traction in the PC space compared to Windows and MacOS. With a 3% share, Linux is now the third most popular desktop operating system, following Windows and MacOS.
Linuxiac, citing StatCounter, says this marks a milestone for Linux, which has slowly but steadily gained traction outside of the consumer market in recent years.
According to StatCounter data, Linux’s market share has more than doubled in the past five years, from 1.64% in 2018 to approximately 3% today. This is partly due to a decline in Windows market share, which has fallen from around 82% five years ago to 68.15% today.
Linux has managed to capture a chunk of the desktop market due to its versatility, security, and open-source nature, which allows developers to rapidly iterate and innovate without any barriers. Despite this, the familiarity of Windows and MacOS among users has likely hindered Linux’s adoption on consumer PCs, with many reluctant to switch operating systems.
Linux dominates other sectors and shows potential for growth and diversification
While Linux has a long way to go before it can claim to be a major player in the desktop PC space, it dominates other sectors such as servers, supercomputers, edge systems, IoT, and even embedded PC markets due to the same aforementioned strengths.
In the ever-changing tech landscape, staying informed about the market shares of different operating systems is essential. The recent milestone achieved by Linux in the desktop PC market demonstrates the potential for growth and diversification in the OS landscape.
With Windows, MacOS, Chrome OS, and Linux competing for user attention, it’s important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each system. While Linux offers versatility, security, and an open-source environment for developers, its limited presence on consumer PCs raises questions about its mainstream appeal.
While Linux’s success in other areas, such as servers and supercomputers, indicates its potential to expand its market share further, its limited presence on consumer PCs is indicative of its status as a niche operating system. If you’re looking for a new computer, be sure to check out our best Gaming PC list.
