Samsung outranks Apple where it really hurts… in the patent department

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In an effort to prevent rivals from stealing its ideas, Apple patents everything it invents — from the iPhone and the iPad, to app icons and even “magic” tactile gloves. But compared to its biggest competitors, Apple’s patent portfolio from 2015 looks surprisingly bare.

Microsoft, Sony, Google, and LG have all outrank Apple in the patent department this year, while arch rival Samsung has absolutely crushed it.

“What is surprising is that while Apple is often lauded for its innovation, it isn’t applying for, or being granted, the most patents,” reports Business Insider, which points to the latest Sqoop index that shows ten companies have filed more patent applications than Apple this year.

IBM is number one with 3,059, but Samsung is very close behind with 3,052. Apple hasn’t even achieved surpassed 800, which means it just misses out on the top ten.

  1. IMB — 3,059
  2. Samsung — 3,052
  3. Canon — 1,782
  4. LG — 1,263
  5. Google — 1,083
  6. Sony — 1,074
  7. Microsoft — 1,037
  8. Qualcomm — 1,034
  9. Toshiba — 1,022
  10. Panasonic — 896
  11. Apple — 780

Of course, the execution is just as important as the idea, and Apple’s sales and revenues suggest it’s better at that than any of its rivals — at least in terms of hardware.

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