Microsoft Windows is the most widely used operating system in the world, powering more than 1.4 billion monthly active devices. It’s estimated that about 43% of these were using Windows 10 as of July.
Consumer NZ product test writer Nick Gelling told The Front Page that he thinks about 30% of New Zealand computers still run on the operating system.
“That number has come down in the last few months because, coming up to the switch off, people have been thinking about their other options,” Gelling said.
“But even based on that 30%, we’re talking hundreds of thousands of affected computers in New Zealand, which is a pretty unbelievable scale,” he said.
The dilution of Windows 10 means that anything still running on that system will become a risk against online attacks. There will be no more security updates, bug fixes or technical support for it.
Windows 10 has served users well for 10 years, but technology moves fast. What was cutting-edge in 2015 simply can’t protect against the sophisticated threats of today.
Microsoft is giving users two options: update to Windows 11 or sign up to get extended security updates for 12 months.
“It’s the bare minimum for now. That’s good that they’re meeting the minimum by making the extended security updates free and available to everyone, [but] there’s a lot more that Microsoft could do,” Gelling said.
“They’re a huge company. They have all the resources in the world and are close to a monopoly on the PC market. So they have so much control and we think they’ve got a duty and responsibility to all of these customers that have paid for their product in the past to look after those people.
“That includes people who can’t access Windows 11 for some reason.
“I’ve been pretty disappointed in the messaging from Microsoft to be honest ... They’re using the extended support just as another way to market Windows 11 more than anything else.”
At the same time, there are growing concerns about the surge in electronic waste.
Auckland Council has released advice for responsibly ditching obsolete tech and warned of the consequences of not doing so.
The city’s waste collection trucks experienced a record nine fires in January alone, with a further four before the end of March. This could be due to batteries and electronics being thrown into rubbish or recycling bins.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
- The end of Windows 10
- Consumer awareness and communication
- Options for users
- E-waste and environmental concerns.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
