Apple filed significantly fewer patents in the US in 2025

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Apple has been synonymous with technological innovation and a high number of patent applications for years. However, 2025 saw a clear break with this pattern. New figures reveal that Apple received significantly fewer US patents than in the previous year. This decline is not only relevant for the company itself, but also reflects a broader trend within the US patent system.

Patents continue to be an important indicator of research activities and technological priorities. Apple monitors these figures particularly closely because they often provide clues about future product strategies. However, recent data from IFI CLAIMS Patent Services now shows that 2025 was a year of declining patent activity for both Apple and many other technology companies.

Apple's patent applications and ranking in 2025

Apple received a total of 2,722 US patents in 2025. The previous year saw 3,082 patents granted, representing a decrease of approximately 12 percent. This decline caused Apple to drop two places in the annual ranking of the 50 largest recipients of US patents, landing it in sixth place.

This trend is noteworthy, as Apple continues to invest heavily in areas such as artificial intelligence, silicon design, and software. The lower number of patents suggests that these investments have not automatically led to more patent applications or that their effects are delayed.

General decline in US patent activity

Apple's decline is part of a larger trend. The total number of US patents granted fell to 323,272 in 2025, a decrease of less than 1 percent compared to the previous year. The decline in patent applications was significantly steeper, falling by 9 percent to 393,344, the lowest level since 2019.

IFI points out that this decline followed a record high in 2024. The underlying data comes directly from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and forms the basis for the annual "Top 50" and "Top 10 Fastest Growing Technologies" reports.

Affected technology sectors and other companies

The decline in patent activity was evident in almost all key technology sectors that traditionally account for a large share of US patents. Digital data processing and data transmission, two key areas of modern IT infrastructure, were particularly affected.

Apple wasn't alone. Other major US technology companies also experienced losses. Google, for example, fell in the patent rankings in 2025. Even Nvidia, despite benefiting greatly from the AI boom, didn't receive enough US patents to appear in the top 50.

Additionally, the ongoing backlog at the patent office had a slowing effect. The US Patent and Trademark Office still had to process more than 1.2 million pending applications, which significantly slowed the rate of patent grants.

International shifts and competition

US companies received the most patents overall in 2025 as well. Nevertheless, their total number fell by more than 5 percent. At the same time, companies from several Asian countries were able to increase their number of patents.

Samsung remained at the top of the rankings. The company received 7,054 US patents, securing first place for the fourth consecutive year. This represented more than 2 percent of all patents granted in the US in 2025.

Apple's chip supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company came in second with 4,194 patents. Qualcomm took third place with 3,749 patents.

While Apple slipped in the rankings, other companies made significant gains. Dell and Toyota improved their positions by eight and six places, respectively. Key drivers of this growth were patents in the areas of computer infrastructure, energy storage, and vehicle systems. Overall, AI technologies and battery technologies were among the most important research fields for 2025.

Apple in the context of a weakening US patent system

Apple's decline in patent applications in 2025 exemplifies a period of lower patent activity in the US. Fewer applications, a significant backlog at the patent office, and increasing international shifts characterize the overall picture. For Apple, this primarily means a loss of position in the patent rankings, but less a clear indication of its actual innovative capacity. Rather, the figures demonstrate that innovation processes, technological priorities, and patent strategies are undergoing noticeable changes. (Image: Shutterstock / Pascal Huot)