Apple’s Patent Acquisition in 2025: Lower Than Samsung, TSMC, Qualcomm, and Huawei

A notable shift in the patent landscape has emerged in 2025, highlighting Apple’s waning innovative prowess compared to its competitors. The technology giant has witnessed a significant decline in patent acquisitions, resulting in the company dropping two positions in the annual IFI ranking of U. S.patent recipients.

Increased Patent Activity Among Competitors

The just-released 2025 U. S.Trends & Insights report by IFI provides critical insights into patent activity for the year:

The total number of patents granted in the U. S.reached 323, 272, with 393, 344 applications submitted.
**Samsung** secured the top position with 7, 054 patents, marking an impressive 11% year-over-year growth.
**TSMC** followed in the second spot, achieving 4, 194 patents, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year.
**Qualcomm** claimed third place with 3, 749 patents, up by 9.5% from 2024.
**Huawei** maintained a strong foothold with 3, 052 patents, slightly up from 3, 046 patents in 2024.
**Samsung Display** rounded out the top five with 2, 859 patents, marking an increase of 10.1% year-over-year.
Apple, in sixth place, was granted 2, 722 patents in 2025, a notable drop of 11.7% from 3, 082 in 2024.

It’s essential to note that the overall number of U. S.patent grants decreased by approximately 1% in 2025, while patent applications also saw a decline of 9%. Tech giants such as Google and NVIDIA notably did not feature in the top ten this year, which signals further shifts in industry dynamics.

However, Apple’s nearly 12% decline in patent approvals raises concerns, especially in light of several high-profile exits from the company and the reliance on Google’s Gemini technology for its upcoming Siri enhancements.

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