Windows 10 Version 1809 Staggers Past 26 Percent Usage Share

Usage of the latest Windows 10 version is up only slightly over the previous month, suggesting that many PCs will simply skip this one.

“The Windows 10 October 2018 Update [1809] has added just a little over 5 percent to its [usage] share this month,” the latest AdDuplex report notes.  “It looks more and more likely that Microsoft seems to be giving up on it in favor of upgrading users straight to the next version … It doesn’t seem likely that O18U will reach even half of Windows 10 PCs before April 2019 Update starts rolling out.”

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As you may recall, AdDuplex data last month showed that usage of Windows 10 version 1809 had risen to just over 21 percent of all Windows 10 versions; it was just 12.4 percent in January. This month, usage grew to 26.4 percent, so growth has already slowed dramatically.

AdDuplex didn’t address Surface PC usage this month.

But the firm did note the passing of Microsoft MVP and friend of the community Atta Elayyan, who was sadly killed in the Christchurch terrorist attack. I would also like to ask that readers consider supporting Atta’s family via a Givealittle campaign.

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Conversation 13 comments

  • warren

    27 March, 2019 - 12:21 pm

    <p>Software compatibility is likely blocking a sizable percentage of these upgrades. The upgrade isn't offered if you have an old version of iCloud installed, for example.</p><p><br></p><p>It's really too bad that Microsoft doesn't allow third parties to serve security/compatibility updates through Windows Update. They do it for drivers, why not some common applications? That WinRAR security vulnerability is going to linger for years because people aren't used to upgrading WinRAR after installing it. </p>

    • Tony Barrett

      27 March, 2019 - 1:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#415922">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>If those software compatibility issues exist in 1809, wouldn't it be expected they'd still exist in 19H1 as well? This was always the risk with as-a-service OS updates – some machines running certain hardware/software combinations will just get left behind.</p>

      • blackcomb

        27 March, 2019 - 4:04 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#415964">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>That's why less versions should be released. One per year is good enough. And there's no need for bad names. Just call it Windows 10 2019 version. Windows 10 2020 version. Support each version with 3 years of security patches and that's it. Best case scenario.</p><p><br></p><p>Of course I would personally suggest something more radical: scrap the failure Windows 10 is. Build a revamped, flat with some tasteful transparency and squarish Windows 7 Aero interface on top of NT 6.3 (the best version in terms of performance and compatibility). Focus on delivering refined and outstanding performance. No crap features no one will ever use. Just build great Win32 tools: Calculator, Paint, Snipping Tool, Sticky Notes, Mail etc. Keep the old Windows 7 options for Windows Update. Reorganize the Control Panel. Build a Win32 Store. Call it Windows and provide a new build every 3 years that don't rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic to get more users. Windows should be a legacy product. Focus on online services that won't mess the OS. Stop with the spying.</p>

        • blackcomb

          27 March, 2019 - 7:30 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#416019">In reply to warren:</a></em></blockquote><p>Metro/UWP is a failure. They've been trying to make people adopt since what 2012? LOL!!! Accept the fucking fact that no one is interested in dumbed down touch oriented mobile apps on a PC.</p>

          • jaunty

            28 March, 2019 - 5:28 am

            <blockquote><a href="#416034"><em>In reply to blackcomb:</em></a><em> I think you and Warren need to get a room.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • warren

        27 March, 2019 - 6:08 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#415964">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Windows has a 25+ year history of breaking third-party software because of security &amp; quality updates. It's a natural consequence of improving the quality of Windows itself. Poorly-written third-party trash takes dependencies on bugs in Windows…. it's always been that way.</p><p><br></p><p>You probably don't even know the ridiculous hoops that Microsoft developers had to go through to get popular things like Lotus 1-2-3 and Simcity to work on Windows 95, just because these applications manipulated memory in weird ways. There was a ton of stuff that broke when XP SP2 came out because they had tightened up permissions and turned on the firewall by default. Even when Windows 7 came out, Microsoft was pumping out update after update to improve the app-compat database so software that worked on Vista would continue to work on 7. That app-compat database is insane…. thousands of poorly-behaved pieces of software and web sites have special hacks applied to them so that they'll continue to work.</p><p><br></p><p>The problem nowadays is, there's so much more software out there than there used to be, and it's become impossible to test everything. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • gvan

    27 March, 2019 - 12:35 pm

    <p>I had to manually force the install on one of my laptops. It passed all the compatibility checks so I don’t understand why I was not getting it just by regularly checking for updates.</p>

  • hrlngrv

    Premium Member
    27 March, 2019 - 2:04 pm

    <p>To what extent could this be due to enterprises?</p><p>OTOH, if this only really measures Home and Pro, maybe this indicates a fair number of Pro and more advanced Home users have learned how to tell Windows they're using metered Internet connections even if not the case. OTOH, if this means over half of Windows PCs in use can't be reliably upgraded automatically, what would that mean?</p>

    • davidblouin

      27 March, 2019 - 4:51 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#415967">In reply to hrlngrv:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>This only mesure device that use store app running ads from ad duplex and most enterprise just block the use of them.</p>

      • Greg Green

        29 March, 2019 - 8:48 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#416006">In reply to davidblouin:</a></em></blockquote><p>If that’s the case then windows upgrades are worse than this, since I would expect most big businesses to be slower than consumers on upgrades.</p>

  • blackcomb

    27 March, 2019 - 3:46 pm

    <p>Another flop update. Windows 7 isn't going anywhere.</p>

  • epguy40

    28 March, 2019 - 11:51 am

    <p>check out this story from softpedia news:</p><p><br></p><p>news.softpedia.com/news/windows-10-october-2018-update-slowly-becoming-microsoft-s-first-windows-10-flop-525470.shtml</p><p><br></p><p>blackcomb may be on to something as the oct 2018 update being a "flop"</p><p><br></p>

  • ahassall

    28 March, 2019 - 2:57 pm

    <p>I purchased a new Thinkpad X1 Yoga at the end of November, 2018 running Windows 10 Pro. I was probably stupid to do it, but I checked all of the boxes. I expected to get the update when it started rolling out and haven't seen it yet. After the difficulties that some have had with the update previously, I am not going to search for it. I thought that my laptop would be new enough to be compatible with it. My internet bandwidth is excellent during the work day so it isn't that it isn't getting downloaded. The laptop works really well, for now, so I am not going to search out a major update that might change that. I also have a Thinkpad P50 running Windows 10 Pro. It is still running 1803. Makes me wonder if I will get 19H1 or whatever it will be called.</p>

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