On the 24th of March 2026, Omnissa released its State of Digital Workspace 2026 report. Formerly known as VMware EUC (End-User Computing), Omnissa now manages over 26,000 clients worldwide and millions of workstations, collecting data through software installed on these devices. The report is based on data recorded in 2025.
For those interested in the full 24-page report, it is available for free on the Omnissa website. The analysis primarily focuses on the comparison between Windows and macOS operating systems.
When it comes to the lifespan of desktop computers in professional environments, Windows machines are replaced more frequently than Apple’s macOS. Only 1.8% of Windows computers were older than 5 years, compared to 11.5% of macOS devices.
In terms of software updates, 77% of macOS devices were up to date, compared to only 51% of Windows computers. This difference in update frequency is crucial for security reasons.
Another important finding is the lack of encryption for data protection on desktop computers, with government agencies having a concerning 20% non-encryption rate. Education sector computers are even worse at 51%.
The Digital Employee eXperience (DEX) score measures employee satisfaction with their workstations. Omnissa found that 15% of Windows users are dissatisfied, compared to 5% of macOS users. There is also a significant difference in user satisfaction levels, with macOS users reporting higher satisfaction rates.
Windows computers have 3.1 times more forced restarts and 2.2 times more application crashes than macOS devices. These issues can significantly impact employee productivity.
According to Gloria Mark’s study in 2008, the average productivity loss due to a computer crash is 23 minutes and 15 seconds.
These findings underscore the importance of system stability and performance for employee productivity. Further details and analyses, including hardware configurations and employee behaviors, can be found in the full report on the Omnissa website.
