uTorrent Gains Popularity, Azureus Loses Ground
Written by Ernesto on December 16, 2007With an install rate of more than 5% on Windows PCs worldwide, uTorrent is now by far the most popular BitTorrent client. Azureus, the most installed BitTorrent application of last year fell back to the third place.
The graph on the right (click to enlarge) is based on data published by Digital Music News based on reports from PC Pitstop, a company that gathers data by “inspecting” the computers of users that try their free online virus / spyware scanners. The data used in this report are collected from Windows registry and table entries of over a million PC’s.
The percentages reflect the percentage of PCs that has these applications installed. September last year Azureus was installed on more than 3% of all PCs but their install rate has declined by more than 30% this year, while uTorrent’s install rate nearly tripled.
In the table below we have listed the 5 most installed BitTorrent applications. It is interesting to not that Azureus moved from the first to the third spot over the past year. The BitTorrent mainline client is now runner up. This means that BitTorrent Inc. now owns the two most popular BitTorrent clients.
The percentages in the table indicate the install base of the most popular BitTorrent clients:
| Rank | Application | Installed on % Desktops |
| 1. | uTorrent | 5.56% |
| 2. | BitTorrent (a.k.a. mainline) | 2.28% |
| 3. | Azureus | 2.11% |
| 4. | Bitcomet | 1.89% |
| 5. | Bitlord | 1.27% |
From the data where the report is based on we further learn that Limewire’s popularity is slowly declining. However, with an install base of almost 18% it is still the P2P application that is installed on most desktop computers. Unfortunately Digital Music News has trouble interpreting their own data, they claim in their press release that it is 36.4%, but that is the market share compared to other P2P clients (shame on you!).
Apart from this tiny mistake, there are a few more concerns about the usability of the data. For example, install rates do not equal usage. The fact that someone installed a P2P client does not mean that they actually use it. So the report can’t say much about the popularity of a filesharing network or application. Secondly, it could be that Azureus and BitTorrent Mainline are installed on almost an equal number of PCs, but that the BitTorrent mainline client is hardly ever used. For instance, novices may start with the mainline client, but move on to better BitTorrent clients later on. Lastly, the report is based on a sample of people who voluntarily did an online spyware scan, something to think about.
Perhaps an even more important comment on the data collection for this report, uTorrent doesn’t necessarily use the Windows registry. So the real install rate for uTorrent might be even higher. Also, Azureus is a true multi-platform client, whilst this test is only for windows based systems.
In summing up we think it is (despite all the flaws) safe to say that uTorrent is becoming more popular while Azureus is losing ground. Whether this is due to negative factors affecting Azureus (such as the rebranding to Vuze, Java or the heavy use of resources), or positive factors around the mainline and µTorrent clients (such as the small install size, and low system requirements) it certainly shows a slide for Azureus.
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177 Responses
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I was gonna switch to Utorrent . Now I think I’m gonna stick with my trusty Azureus ! Thanks for the info guys :)
I havent seen a noticeable drop in performance using AzureusBitTyrant 2.5. (Or any AZ version 2.5 and up) Im running an 64 AMD ATHOLON XP 1800+ with 2GB ram and I can easily run a torrent(s), surf the web, watch a video (two monitors) and calculate pie to infinity. All while happily torrenting with good ‘ol Azureus. If I didnt know better Id say this whole ‘Azureus consuming too much, blah java blah, big scary options menu’ thing is a smear campaign by uTorrent.
If Azureus and uTorrent were standing face to face (this is a hypothetical situation, mind you) there is no way uTorrent would embarrass itself by claiming to be the best torrent client. uTorrent would likely kiss up to Azureus and would one day hope to reach the level of greatness Azureus has achieved so effortlessly. Their time together would grow short, and uTorrent would thank Azureus for using slightly more resources. “Thats the only thing that stops me from being wiped out like Hiroshima” exclaims uTorrent. Azurues, cool as ever, pats uTorrent on the back and says, “C’mon now. Even if I used less system, I doubt your usage would decline. The peeps that use you just do not know any better.”
“Yeah. Youre right” says uTorrent and on a side thought adds while rubbing it’s privates, “So, wanna go back to my room??” Azureus, extremely manly and hairy, punches uTorrent in the nose. “Thats not what they mean by open source, you douche.” Azureus says while turning to get in it’s gas hog V-8 corvette . uTorrent gives the bittorrent client a call instead. They have a great night together. Some time later, bittorrent’s butt starts to hurt and out pops uTorrent 1.7.
By:
Negative@crackertrash.tk
Azureus have good look and options but it consumes more system ….
Utorrent is having less options easy to handle and it doees not consmes system
Azureus have good look and options but it consumes more system ….
Utorrent is having less options easy to handle and it doees not consmes system
utorrent is awsome. with the right settings its doing 400 kbs on a public seed of 15. i used to get like 70 kbs on azureus.
utorrent- good for leechers
azureus- good for private trackers.
guess most of us leechers anyways.
There’s a new Vista gadget for uTorrent to control uTorrent remotely.
http://gadget.morrent.com/
Seeing as I have a massive RAM (over 3.5GB), I never have a problem with Azureus. Originally when I downloaded Vuze to replace my old Azureus I was severely disappointed - it was a whole load of crap that I didn’t want with none of the details that I did want. But then I figured out that the Advanced tab gives you pretty much the same as the old Azureus.
I’ve never had reason to doubt it, and until I do, I won’t switch to utorrent.
utorrent is makin me so mad its crazy i got 1.5mb dsl and max ive ever downloaded was a movie at 120kbs and games at 5kb
[quote comment="323542"]utorrent is makin me so mad its crazy i got 1.5mb dsl and max ive ever downloaded was a movie at 120kbs and games at 5kb[/quote]
what that does have with what client you using? its about how much ppl seeed things you need. there is also your isp, as very big part. getting 120kbs for 1.5mb connection is very good score.
u can turn off the vuse thing in azureus via the tools menu
utorrent is closed source. sure they aren’t keeping data on you? And now that utorrent is owned by BitTorrent, Inc, do you know that they are trying daily to get into bed with the same content companies that love the RIAA/MPAA so much.
How easy it is to get people to sell out - make a “better” product that calls home and gives them everything they need to know to put you down.
Mick - you’ll have to make better wide-eyed leaps to make that stick.
What you’re saying is, that in attempting to pursue licensing deals, so that they can provide legal content via their site, and thus give credence to the ’substantial non-infringeing uses’ argument, that by doing so they’re automatically providing userdata to the content companies?
I think you might want to stay off the conspiracy theory sites a bit, maybe stick to those that know what they’re talking about.
Besids, how do you know something like Azureus isn’t doing the same? Because it’s open source? I would have thought the news last week, that an open source mozilla download had been infected with a trojan months ago, and only just discovered proves that open is as insecure, if not more so (since everyone assumes someone else checked open source, whereas closed people don’t make that assumption) than closed source. Vuze is trying to make the exact same deals as bittorrent inc. you know.
How shit/old are you PC’s when you think Azureus/Vuze is a resource hog?
Seriously, about £200 will get you an Intel Core 2 Quad - Q6600 and about 2 gig of nice RAM.
One of my pc’s has that spec and I run Azureus/Vuze in the background whilst playing some mp3’s, encoding a DVD and playing Crysis.
If 100MB of RAM makes you worried, you seriously need to consider upgrading.
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