What Apple is patenting — and where it isn't
Portfolio archetype: Dominant · accelerating · 71,376 US patents.
Covers 6 entities: APPLE INC, APPLE COMPUTER INC, APPLE COMPUTER INC A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, APPLE COMPUTERS INC, APPLE INC A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, APPLE. US-only.
| Total US patents | 71,376 |
|---|---|
| Granted / Applications | 35,121 / 36,255 |
| Estimated in force | 69,651 |
| Filing span | 1992–2025 |
| Filing momentum | accelerating — recent-window filings ~123% of the prior window |
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Where they focus
Closest competitors
Top other assignees in this portfolio's main technology areas. Raw assignee names — a single company may appear under several name-variants.
| Assignee | Areas of activity | US patents |
|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION | Digital Computing · Data Networking · Wireless Networks | 148,564 |
| SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | Digital Computing · Wireless Networks · Data Networking | 69,251 |
| QUALCOMM INCORPORATED | Wireless Networks · Data Networking · Digital Computing | 59,986 |
| HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD | Wireless Networks · Data Networking · Digital Computing | 45,608 |
| INTEL CORPORATION | Digital Computing · Data Networking · Wireless Networks | 38,935 |
| MICROSOFT CORPORATION | Digital Computing · Data Networking · Wireless Networks | 38,337 |
| LG ELECTRONICS INC | Wireless Networks · Data Networking · Digital Computing | 33,596 |
| MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC | Digital Computing · Data Networking · Wireless Networks | 30,358 |
Strategic read
For a competitor
The freedom-to-operate wall is densest in Digital Computing (G06F), where this portfolio holds 17,985 patents, with a second concentration in Wireless Networks (H04W) at 9,887 — anyone building in computing or wireless connectivity will be operating inside heavily occupied terrain. With roughly 69,651 estimated in force and filings accelerating to about 123% of the prior window, the exposed surface is expanding, not stabilizing. Note the crowded neighborhood: Samsung, Qualcomm, Huawei, and Intel all file densely in these same CPC areas, so claim overlap should be mapped against the whole cluster, not this assignee alone.
For an acquirer
Examine the 35,121 granted patents separately from the 36,255 pending applications, since the pending half includes never-granted matter and carries grant-rate and prosecution risk that should be diligenced before valuation. The portfolio spans 1992–2025 with momentum accelerating to ~123% of the prior window, so weight the recent filing cohorts and verify maintenance status behind the ~69,651 in-force estimate. The 0.133 citation-impact share is age-biased and should be normalized by filing year before any influence conclusions are drawn.
For a licensee
The portfolio's relevance concentrates in Digital Computing (G06F, 17,985 patents) and Wireless Networks (H04W, 9,887), with supporting depth in Data Networking (H04L, 5,391) and Video & Imaging (H04N, 4,412) — a licensee in computing, connectivity, or media pipelines will find substantial coverage in its core area. Filing momentum is accelerating to roughly 123% of the prior window, so the relevant claim set is still growing across these CPC areas. Whether any of the wireless holdings are standards-essential is not shown in these aggregates and should be examined directly.
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AI-generated research summary, not legal or investment advice — consult a registered patent attorney before any decision. One of PatentLens.AI's free sample reports — browse all company reports.