Apple received 2,722 US patents in 2025, down from 3,082 a year earlier. The dip in sales caused iPhone manufacturers to slide down to the sixth spot in the IFI ranking of the largest patent holders. However, in 2024, Apple achieved a higher ranking due to more robust patent collections.
The decrease occurs alongside the company’s ongoing pouring into the areas of AI, chips, and software. Analysts say the lower count does not point to reduced innovation but reflects slower patent processing and more selective filing strategies. Even so, Apple’s fall stood out as several rivals either held ground or moved up the table.
According to IFI Claims Patent Services, the total number of US patents granted in 2025 stood at 323,272, a marginal decline of less than 1% from the previous year. The sharper change appeared in applications. Filings fell 9% to 393,344, the lowest level since 2019.
According to experts, the slowdown in patent activity can be attributed to higher fees, slower processing times, and the enormous pile that the US Patent and Trademark Office, which is currently dealing with more than 1.2 million pending applications, has created.
However, even though US firms were still the largest recipients of patents, their total dropped more than 5%. Meanwhile, companies from different Asian countries disclosed their patent numbers to be on the rise.
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Samsung retained the top spot for the fourth straight year with 7,054 patents. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company followed with 4,194, while Qualcomm secured third place with 3,749.
Apple’s decline contrasted with gains by companies such as Dell and Toyota, which climbed the rankings on the back of patents in computing, energy storage, and vehicle systems.
Analysts expect patent applications to recover once approval delays ease and companies adjust to changing market conditions. For now, the numbers suggest caution, not a collapse, in innovation.