Qihoo 360 to step in as Microsoft pulls plug on Windows XP

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-02-20

A young girl uses a Windows PC. (Photo/Wang Chin-ho)

As Microsoft has announced it will no longer support the Windows XP operating system from April 8, China's PC users are relieved that internet security company Qihoo 360 has announced that it will continue to protect the operating system until Windows XP disappears completely, Chinese media outlets report.

Windows XP was launched in 2001 and ICS Solutions Group reports that nearly 40% of computers in the world still run on it. Another source cited in Chinese media reports said Windows XP accounts for 25% of computers worldwide but 70% of computers in China. There are an estimated 200 million computers using the XP system in the country, and internet users have feared that their Windows XP computers will swiftly fall victim to viruses after April 8.

Ni Guangnan, a Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) member, said China would do best to produce a domestic operating system to replace Windows XP.

As Microsoft's MAPP cooperator, Qihoo 360 said it will keep on providing protection to XP users.