Overview
- Apple received 2,722 U.S. patents in 2025, down from 3,082 in 2024, a roughly 12% decline that lowered its position in IFI’s annual ranking.
- Outlets differ on Apple’s exact placement, with some listing sixth and others seventh, though all cite the same 2,722 grant total.
- U.S. totals for 2025 reached 323,272 patent grants (down about 0.2%) and 393,344 applications (down roughly 9%), the lowest application level since 2019.
- Rivals gained ground: Samsung led with 7,054 grants, followed by TSMC at 4,194, Qualcomm at 3,749, Huawei ahead of Apple, and Samsung Display at 2,859.
- IFI highlights an industry tilt toward AI, a drop of about 20% in traditional chip (H01L) patents, growth in H10D filings, IBM’s fall to 11th by design, and Nvidia’s absence from the Top 50.