We have just entered a new year, and that, in media like this, means that we can take stock of the previous one and also that articles will be published about things that can happen in 2024. This time we are not going to mention VideoLan and your VLC, we are going to let them work in peace, but it is a good time to talk about the market share of Linux on the desktop. Were there changes in 2023?
Well, if we look at the graph from December 2022 to December 2023 that publishes StatCounterYes, there have been. Specifically, has risen almost 1%, from 2.93% to 3.83%. I don't remember "such high" figures, see the quotes, for Linux market share on the desktop. In 2020, when we were confined due to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, went up a few tenths and it remained below 3%. During the summer of 2023 the 3% barrier was broken and now we are approaching 4%.
Does the Steam Deck have anything to do with the increase in Linux use on the desktop?
The truth is that the Linux trend on the desktop It has only increased in 2023. It has had ups and downs, which is normal for a graph like this, but the ups have been steeper and steeper than the downs. And if we look at the following image, we can speculate with a reason:
The culprit that doesn't look better is the operating system that draws the blue line. With over 70% market share, it makes everything look small. But Linux has had a rebound at the end of the year, when Christmas arrives. In that month it rose approximately 0.6%.
To the question of why, the data fails to shed any light. Yes it is true that the Steam deck It has made many people use Linux, and the operating system it supports, although its main option is in console mode, is a desktop system. They have sold "several million" and it cannot be ruled out that it is mainly responsible for these figures. If you get into some communities about the Steam Deck you can see that there are people who have never used Linux who have now started with the Valve console.
The only thing that is certain is that in 2023 we have approached 4%, more than 6% if we also count Chrome OS. I wouldn't bet on it, but it remains to be seen if the launch pad that is the Deck makes more people start using Linux. Will 2024 be the year of Linux on the desktop?