Linux OS on Endpoints Outpaces Windows in 2018

Linux has reached an exciting new milestone. For the first time ever, Linux surpassed Windows shipments on thin clients in 2018. The study, conducted by IDC, also found that Linux on the endpoint is the fastest growing OS. But we’re not surprised!

A number of trends are driving the need for a more secure, more manageable and more cost-effective operating system on the endpoint. It all starts with the end user. IDC estimates that Millennials and Generation Z will make up almost 75% of the workforce by 2025. These “hyper-mobile” users demand a high performance, frictionless user experience. To meet their needs, 65% of G2000 will offer flex-work options with pervasive access to enterprise and collaboration applications by 2021.

Meanwhile, IT organizations face a number of challenges when it comes to endpoint management. They must ensure business continuity and maintain security and compliance while managing costs. As the clock ticks to January 14, 2020—the day Microsoft will discontinue its support (free of charge) for Windows 7—IT organizations are faced with the tough decision of whether or not to migrate to Windows 10. It may not be the best move, considering the increased updates, continual patching and application compatibility issues that are sure to arise along the way.

Finally, Linux has established itself as a trusted OS in other areas of the IT infrastructure. It is already the de facto base layer for cloud systems everywhere. The Linux server OS is growing at 11.5% CAGR up to 2022, outgrowing the total market CAGR of 7%. In the IoT world, the EU-funded IoT-European Platforms Initiative is building an interoperable ecosystem with the majority of solutions from open source.

The Linux Revolution

And now the Linux revolution is moving to the endpoint. More companies are finding that Linux on the endpoint with cloud workspaces delivers productivity, innovation, security, and manageability. In fact, Linux shipments grew 6% from 2015 to 2018, while Windows OS shrank 5%.

At IGEL, we believe that Windows belongs in the data center—not the endpoint. In the data center, Windows is more easily managed, maintained, and secured. It’s also easier for IT organizations to invest in the hardware the OS requires for high performance.

Linux on the endpoint gives IT organizations the manageability and flexibility it needs to support a hyper-mobile workforce. That’s why Linux is the foundation of our next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces. It gives IT the ease of management and superior security it needs, supporting thousands of users from a single console, while lowering costs and improving endpoint performance and mobility.

But don’t take our word for it. According to IDC, “Endpoint transformation with Linux is an organization’s golden opportunity to deliver cloud-like services to the hyper-mobile user and meet the objectives of IT.” We welcome you to download the report to learn more about IDC’s findings and the analyst firm’s recommended steps to success with endpoint management.