Apple’s Patent Activity Declines: A Shift in Innovation Strategy?
In 2025, the United States witnessed a continued decline in patent activity, marking the sixth consecutive year of reduced filings and grants. According to the latest report from IFI CLAIMS, a leading patent data and analytics firm, the total number of patent applications in the U.S. fell by 8.6% to 393,344, while granted patents saw a slight decrease of 0.2%, totaling 323,272.
Amid this overall downturn, Apple Inc. experienced a notable reduction in its patent grants. The tech giant secured 2,722 patents in 2025, an 11.6% drop from the 3,082 patents granted in 2024. This decline resulted in Apple slipping to seventh place in the U.S. patent rankings. Leading the list was Samsung Electronics, which received 7,054 patents, marking a 10.6% increase from the previous year. Following Samsung were TSMC, Qualcomm, Huawei, and Samsung Display. Companies rounding out the top ten included Canon, Toyota, Dell, and LG Electronics.
A significant development in the rankings was IBM’s fall to 11th place. This marks the first time in over three decades that IBM has been outside the top ten. The company had previously held the top position for 29 consecutive years until Samsung overtook it in 2022. IFI CLAIMS attributes this shift to IBM’s strategic decision to focus on key areas such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, moving away from the pursuit of a high volume of patents.
The report also highlights a decline in traditional chip patents, categorized under H01L, which saw a 20% year-over-year decrease. Conversely, patents in the H10D category, encompassing inorganic semiconductor devices like transistors and diodes, appeared in the top 20 codes for both grants and applications. This trend suggests a potential shift towards next-generation chip technologies. In 2025, major patent filers in the H10D category included TSMC, Samsung, IBM, and Intel.
These developments raise questions about Apple’s innovation strategy. The decrease in patent grants could indicate a more selective approach, focusing on quality over quantity. Alternatively, it might reflect a strategic pivot towards specific technological domains or a response to broader industry trends. As the tech landscape continues to evolve, monitoring how companies like Apple adapt their innovation strategies will be crucial in understanding the future trajectory of technological advancements.
