Yes, Linux it still remains a relatively niche operating system, light years away from macOS and, of course, by his majesty Windows.
After 30 years on the market, however, the open source operating system has reached a respectable goal: second Linuxiac (quoting StatCounter) Penguin OS has reached the 3% of the entire desktop market.
As already mentioned, Microsoft’s operating system still leads the way, with more than three-quarters of the industry (68,15% to be precise). macOS follows, with the 21,38% and the most recent Chrome OSwith an encouraging nonetheless 4,15%. Linux, with 3.08%, represents the last famous operating system of this ranking, while the remaining 3,24% collects other almost unknown systems.
Strong growth of Linux and macOS, Windows uncertainty
Data that, at first sight, do not seem so positive. Actually, in 2018 the various Linux distributions only had the1,64% market, with almost double growth in the last five years.
According to information from StatCounter, macOS has also been able to enjoy impressive growth. Also in 2018, in fact, the OS Apple he owned only 12.33% of the market. What about Windows? The last five years have seen a substantial but not yet worrying reduction in users: five years ago, in fact, 82% of PC users relied on Microsoft operating systems.
The open source nature, the many distros (tailored for each type of user) and a higher security than Windows, are some of the determining factors regarding the growth of the penguin.
This increase, at least in part, also seems to have been determined by the arrival on the market of Steam Deck and similar systems. Even if Linux still remains a niche platform, the prerogative of the most experienced users, its future looks quite rosy.