Is Windows 7 finally overtaking XP?

The US seems to be more pro-active in Windows 7 adoption compared to other countries. The answer according to an Irish Web analytics company is a resounding yes, at least in the United States.

Figures released by StatCounter show Windows 7′s average daily share was 32.2% in April, compared to XP’s 30.7%; the first time Microsoft’s flagship OS surpassed the 10-year old Windows XP.

The figures for worldly use paints a slightly different picture. Although Windows 7 has a healthy 31.5% market share, XP is still flying high with 46.8%.

What about gamers? According to Steam statistics for March, Windows 7 64-bit accounts for 36.77% of all Steam users. This is quite a bit more than XP can claim at 22.70%.

I suspect in the coming months (especially for gamers), use of Windows XP will dwindle. Most software that works on XP will work on 7. Given the fact that Windows 7 has been out since late 2009 getting drivers for hardware is rarely an issue. It already has its first service pack out, plus an OEM copy Windows 7 can be had for as little as $99 on Amazon. There’s really no need to be stuck on XP, unless it’s what you want.