Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system overtook Windows 7 for the first time globally in January according to web analytics company, StatCounter.

StatCounter found that Windows 10 overtook 7 in North America in January 2017. Microsoft's latest operating system reached 42.78% in terms of worldwide internet usage compared to 41.86% for Windows 7.

In the UK Windows 10 passed 7 in June 2016.

"Windows 10 was launched at the end of July 2015 and Microsoft will be pleased to have put its Windows 8 experience behind it. However, Windows 7 retains loyalty especially amongst business users. Microsoft will be hoping that it can replace it a lot quicker than XP, launched back in August 2001, which only fell below 5% usage worldwide in June of 2017," commented Aodhan Cullen, CEO, StatCounter.

StatCounter Global Stats data is based on over 10 billion page views per month to over 2 million websites.