Windows 8.1's lead on XP short-lived after December spike

XP market share figure up more than one percentage point compared with November

A Christmas rush on Windows 8.1 devices was not enough to offset a similar spike in demand for XP-powered machines last month, according to new figures, which show the 13-year-old OS overtook the latest version in terms of market share.

According to Statcounter, in December, the 13-year-old OS's share of the PC, tablet and console market rose 1.24 points month on month to 11.93 per cent, just shy of its share figure for October.

Over the same period, Windows 8.1's market share grew 0.82 points to 11.77 per cent, fractionally below that of XP. Last month, the latest version of Windows overtook XP for the first time in terms of global share, but it seems its triumph was short-lived.

Windows 7 continued to dominate the market but last month its share fell below the 50 per cent mark.

Microsoft is expected to unveil Windows 10 – Windows 8.1's successor – later this month, which its chief executive Satya Nadella insisted would present a new set of opportunities to the channel.