Enterprise strategies for transitioning away from Windows 10 are expected to be in full swing, yet certain sectors appear to be lagging behind. Insights from Lansweeper, an asset management firm, highlight potential challenges that administrators may face as they navigate this critical upgrade period.
Sector-Specific Adoption Rates
Determining the exact distribution of Windows devices running version 11 versus those still on version 10 can be complex. Microsoft does not disclose its telemetry data; however, Lansweeper’s analysis, based on approximately 8.5 million Windows devices, sheds light on the current enterprise landscape.
The adoption rates of Windows 11 vary significantly across different sectors. Lansweeper reports that the transport and logistics sector is leading the charge, with 61.2 percent of devices operating on Windows 11, while only 38.8 percent remain on Windows 10. In stark contrast, the healthcare sector shows a mere 33.5 percent of devices upgraded to Windows 11, leaving 66.5 percent still reliant on Windows 10.
Esben Dochy, a principal technical evangelist for SecOps at Lansweeper, explains, “In many cases, the delay in upgrading comes down to regulatory challenges and the need for specific software to be approved for certain operating system versions. This process often requires a lengthy change management system to test and approve the new operating system.”
Dochy anticipates that by the time October 14 arrives, Windows 11 could potentially account for 70 percent of devices overall. However, the degree of adoption will likely vary across different industries.
Post-Upgrade Considerations
It is important to note that unsupported Windows 10 machines will not cease to function immediately after the end date. Many administrators may choose to delay applying the final patch until they can conduct thorough checks, especially given the mixed quality of recent updates from Microsoft. Consequently, some organizations might feel justified in extending their timeline by a few weeks or even months beyond the official end date.
“You could argue that you have another month,” Dochy acknowledges. “For organizations that operate on a delayed schedule, it’s understandable to take extra time to ensure that patches don’t disrupt operations. However, it’s not an ideal situation.”
Concerns in the Healthcare Sector
Dochy expresses particular concern regarding the healthcare sector’s slow adoption of Windows 11, labeling it as “troublesome.” He emphasizes that this industry faces unique challenges, where the stakes extend beyond revenue loss to the potential impact on human lives. “They have a lot of catching up to do with Windows 11, and we can only hope they have contingency plans in place for running Windows 10 systems with Extended Security Updates (ESU) or similar solutions,” he adds.
Office Software and Future Outlook
In addition to operating systems, Dochy raises alarms about the impending end of support for certain versions of Office, particularly Office 2016 and 2019, which coincide with the end of life for many Windows 10 versions.
On a positive note for administrators, Dochy believes that Microsoft is unlikely to impose significant changes on customers in the near future. “One of the main distinctions between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is the additional hardware requirements,” he notes. “These barriers are not expected to apply when updating to newer versions of Windows 11.”
Looking ahead, Dochy remains uncertain about the potential hardware requirements for a hypothetical Windows 12. He speculates that even Microsoft’s growing focus on artificial intelligence may not lead to specific requirements for future Windows versions. “It’s very uncertain,” he concludes. “There’s no guarantee that AI will necessitate new hardware specifications going forward.”
