Windows 7 reaches end of support today but 40% of PCs in Africa still run it

Jan 14, 2020

Windows 7 end of support

A year ago, Microsoft announced it will no longer provide security updates or support for PCs running Windows 7. Starting today January 14, 2020 the company is officially ending support for the OS. You can still use your computer but Microsoft will no longer provide you with technical support for any issues, software updates and security updates or fixes. I’ll tell you how risky this is in a bit.

In the wake of this announcement, only 65.4 percent of Windows devices worldwide run on Windows 10 according to stats from Stat Counter. It also shows that 26.8 percent of Windows devices still run on Windows 7. With about 1.3 percent still living in the Windows XP era.

Compared to Europe, 23.1 percent and the United States of America, 17.9 percent, Africa has 39.7 percent of Windows devices still running on Windows 7. With only 49.9 percent running on Window 10.

For consumers this is the end of the road. Organizations on the other hand might pay a hefty amount monthly for Microsoft to provide them with these services.

A month ago, Microsoft made a shocking revelation at the launch event of the Windows PC Affordability in Africa Initiative. Where Regional General Manager, Consumer and Device Sales, Microsoft Middle East & Africa, Deniz Ozen, noted per Microsoft estimates, only a third of PCs shipped into Africa include genuine software.

Using an unsupported Windows 7 device will leave a user or business prone to several cybersecurity attacks. Resulting in losses and damages.

What Next after Windows 7 end of support?

As support for Windows 7 comes to an end, here is what Microsoft encourages you to do if you are still using the operating system.

While you could continue to use your PC running Windows 7, without continued software and security updates, it will be at greater risk for viruses and malware. Going forward, the best way for you to stay secure is on Windows 10. And the best way to experience Windows 10 is on a new PC. While it is possible to install Windows 10 on your older device, it is not recommended.

Kindly refresh, more to come …

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