Businesses are switching to Windows 10 far faster than Windows 8

There have been lots of claims made about the adoption rate for Windows 10 with the most recent batch of figures from Microsoft stating 110 million installations. But how does this number actually break down? New research by Spiceworks reveals that the latest version of Microsoft's operating system is making greater headway in the business environment than Windows 8 did.

Asked before launch whether they would upgrade to Windows 10, Spiceworks found that 40 percent of businesses intended to upgrade within a year. Three months after the launch the number of businesses that have actually made the jump is 11 percent -- a penetration rate 20 percent higher than Windows 8 achieved on launch.

Spiceworks says that if adoption continues at its current rate, the figure of 40 percent of business upgrading to Windows will be exceeded.

The company's research also gives something of an insight into the types of businesses that are making the upgrade and differences around the world. North America has been the keenest to jump on Windows 10, with 12 percent of companies making the switch. In Europe the figure stands at a slightly lower 10.6 percent, while Asia stands at 8.5 percent.

The analysis shows that the larger a company is, the more likely it is to upgrade to Windows 10. For businesses with under 50 employees, Windows 10 adoption stands at just 5.3 percent, while for those with 1,000 employees or more, the number is 22.7 percent.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is the software industry that has been the most eager to upgrade -- some 19.2 percent. Retail, entertainment, and insurance all stand at 11.8 percent, and engineering is not far behind at 11.7 percent.

Spiceworks points out that if the current rate of adoption continues, Microsoft could pass the one billion installations landmark within a couple of years.

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