Google To Yank Chrome Support For Windows XP, Vista In 2016
Chrome will still work and dutifully load up webpages as it shuttles you around the web. However, starting in April of next year, Google will stop issuing security updates and fixes. That in essence puts a big target on your back with a flashing neon sign that reads, "Hey bad guys, look at me, I'm over here!"
This is a double whammy for anyone running one of the aforementioned OSes, each of which has already been abandoned by Microsoft (Windows XP and Windows Vista) and Apple (Mac OS X 10.6 through 10.8). The exception is for businesses that pay a fee for extended supported, but for the general consumer, those OSes are no longer being patched.
"If you are still on one of these unsupported platforms, we encourage you to move to a newer operating system to ensure that you continue to receive the latest Chrome versions and features," Google stated in a blog post.
According to NetMarketShare, 11.68 percent of PCs still run Windows XP. Vista only accounts for 1.74 percent, while Mac OS X 10.6 through 10.8 combined account for barely more than 1 percent.