Windows 8 may be on the horizon with a fall 2012 release, but Microsoft's current OS, Win 7, just became the world's most prolific PC operating system, passing the 50-percent threshold last month. According to StatCounter, Windows 7, which overtook XP around the time of its golden anniversary last fall, has made its way onto 50.2 percent of the world's computers, compared to 29.9 percent for Microsoft's eXPerience during the same period. Launched in 2001, XP remains in the runner-up position, but shows a steady decline along with Vista, which never had much of a share to begin with. Oddly enough, iOS also appears as a modest portion of StatCounter's chart, which we presume represents iPads, which in this case fall within the same category (the company tracks mobile operating systems separately, where Android has ticked slightly ahead). If you own a PC running Windows 7, you can rest assured knowing that you're in good company. And we imagine that an even greater number of those current XP users will depart come 2014, when Microsoft has pledged to discontinue support of the aging millennial. Hit up our source link below for all of StatCounter's charts.

StatCounter: Windows 7 now powering most PCs, passed 50-percent threshold in June originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.