Apple’s Patent Output Slips for the First Time in Years
Apple’s pace of invention appears to be slowing. According to newly released data from IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, the tech giant received just 2,722 U.S. patents in 2025—down 12% from 3,082 in 2024. This drop pushed Apple from fourth to sixth place among the top recipients of U.S. patent grants, marking its most significant decline in recent memory. For a company long celebrated for its relentless innovation, the numbers raise questions about whether Apple is hitting a creative plateau—even as it pours billions into artificial intelligence, custom silicon, and next-gen software.
What the Numbers Really Mean
A 12% year-over-year drop might sound modest, but in the high-stakes world of tech R&D, it’s a red flag. Patents are more than legal documents—they’re leading indicators of future products, features, and strategic direction. Fewer grants can signal either a slowdown in R&D output or a shift toward fewer—but potentially more impactful—innovations. Yet with competitors like Samsung and TSMC accelerating their filings, Apple’s retreat stands out. Notably, Samsung led all companies in 2025 with 7,054 U.S. patents, while TSMC (Apple’s key chip partner) secured second place with 4,194 grants.
Broader U.S. Patent Trends Paint a Grim Picture
Apple isn’t alone in its patent pullback—but it’s under greater scrutiny. Total U.S. patent grants dipped slightly to 323,272 in 2025, but applications plummeted by 9%, falling to 393,344—the lowest level since 2019. That sharp drop in new filings suggests companies are either holding back ideas or facing internal bottlenecks. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) also continues to grapple with a backlog exceeding 1.2 million pending applications, which delays approvals and distorts year-to-year comparisons. Still, even accounting for processing lags, Apple’s decline aligns with a worrying trend across Big Tech.
AI Boom, But Fewer Patents?
Perhaps the most puzzling aspect is that Apple’s patent slide coincides with its biggest-ever push into AI. The company has hired hundreds of AI researchers, acquired multiple startups, and previewed major AI integrations for iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. Yet unlike rivals such as Microsoft or Amazon—which filed aggressively around generative AI infrastructure—Apple’s public patent activity in core AI domains appears muted. Even Nvidia, the poster child of the AI hardware revolution, failed to crack the Top 50 U.S. patent recipients in 2025, hinting that some breakthroughs may be protected as trade secrets instead of patents.
Samsung and TSMC Surge Ahead
While Apple pulls back, its supply chain partners surge forward. TSMC’s leap to second place underscores its dominance in advanced semiconductor manufacturing—a field where Apple depends entirely on external foundries. Meanwhile, Samsung’s continued leadership reflects its sprawling R&D across displays, memory chips, and mobile hardware. For Apple, which relies heavily on both companies, the widening gap in patent output could signal growing dependency rather than self-sufficiency, especially as it races to develop in-house modem chips and AI accelerators.
Is Apple Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity?
Some analysts argue the decline doesn’t necessarily mean less innovation—it might reflect a strategic pivot. Apple has long favored tightly integrated, user-facing inventions over incremental technical filings. In recent years, the company has shifted toward filing fewer but broader patents covering system-level experiences (like Vision Pro’s eye-tracking interface or Dynamic Island interactions). If true, this approach could yield fewer grants in the short term but more defensible, product-defining IP down the line. Still, investors and observers are watching closely for tangible outputs.
The USPTO Backlog Adds Uncertainty
It’s also worth noting that patent grants often lag filings by 18–24 months. So the 2025 numbers largely reflect applications submitted in 2023—a period when Apple was still refining its AI strategy. The current USPTO backlog further muddies the waters, meaning some 2024 and 2025 filings may not appear in grant tallies until 2026 or 2027. That said, the consistent downward trajectory over two years suggests more than just timing issues—it points to a real recalibration of Apple’s invention engine.
Competitors Aren’t Slowing Down
Unlike Apple, many global rivals are doubling down. Chinese firms like BOE and Huawei increased their U.S. patent activity despite geopolitical headwinds. Qualcomm held firm at third place with 3,740 grants, reinforcing its grip on wireless communication tech—critical for Apple’s long-term plans to ditch Qualcomm modems. Meanwhile, Japanese and Korean conglomerates continue expanding in battery tech, sensors, and materials science. In this context, Apple’s retreat looks increasingly isolated.
What This Means for Future Products
Fewer patents don’t automatically mean fewer innovations—but they do limit legal protection and competitive moats. If Apple is indeed shifting toward trade secrets (as it did with early Face ID algorithms), that could explain the dip. However, trade secrets offer no defense against reverse engineering and can’t be licensed or monetized like patents. For a company preparing to launch AI-powered services, spatial computing upgrades, and possibly an electric vehicle (or at least advanced driver-assist features), robust IP coverage will be essential.
A Crossroads for Cupertino’s Innovation Engine
Apple’s identity has always been tied to groundbreaking products—not just iterative updates. From the iPhone to the M-series chips, its ability to redefine categories rests on deep, defensible innovation. The 2025 patent data doesn’t spell doom, but it does mark a crossroads. As AI reshapes every corner of tech, Apple must prove it can invent at scale again—or risk ceding ground to faster-moving rivals who file relentlessly, even if their products lack Apple’s polish.
Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond
All eyes now turn to Apple’s upcoming product pipeline. Will the next-generation iPhone feature truly novel AI capabilities rooted in new patents? Can the Vision Pro ecosystem expand with proprietary interaction models? And how will Apple’s in-house modem project fare against Qualcomm’s vast portfolio? The answers may not show up in patent databases immediately—but they’ll determine whether 2025 was a blip or the start of a longer innovation drought. For now, the data tells a cautionary tale: even giants must keep inventing to stay ahead.
