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AppleBroadcomMeta

Technology portfolios compared in the same window and counting units. Scale is compared only within the same field or subclass.

Same window · published 2025-01-01 — 2025-12-31Some name or date coverage is incomplete; affected counts are lower bounds

This is a structural comparison of collected portfolios. The same requested window does not establish equal entity scope, covered months or industry; no competitive ranking is inferred.

Applicant-name coverage differs. The counts below cover only the listed names and do not represent complete company portfolios.

Apple: Applicant names included in these statistics — APPLE INCReviewed names not covered — APPLE COMPUTER INC · APPLE COMPUTER, INC. · APPLE INC. · APPLE, INC.

Broadcom: Applicant names included in these statistics — AVAGO TECH INT SALES PTE LID · AVAGO TECH INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD · VMWARE INC · VMWARE LLCReviewed names not covered — AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED · VMWARE INC.

Meta: Applicant names included in these statistics — FACEBOOK INC · META PLATFORMS INC · META PLATFORMS TECH LLCReviewed names not covered — FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES LLC · FACEBOOK, INC. · META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES , LLC · META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES LLC · META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC · META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC. · META PLATFORMS, INC. · OCULUS VR LLC

Apple

Publications
12,360
Invention share
87%
Concentration
0.38
Green technology
—

Broadcom

Publications
1,230
Invention share
98%
Concentration
0.41
Green technology
—

Meta

Publications
1,545
Invention share
97%
Concentration
0.43
Green technology
—
0.95

Apple × Broadcom

0.76

Apple × Meta

0.68

Broadcom × Meta

Cosine similarity of application counts across 35 fields. 1 is identical, 0 is no overlap.

01Technology field mirror

The 12 fields with the largest combined share. Share shows structure; count shows scale.

Technology field mirror
Technology fieldApple / Broadcom / Meta
Computer technology
39.1%
42.4%
49.3%
Digital communication
42.1%
45.2%
12.4%
Optics
7.2%
1.4%
36.7%
Audio-visual technology
14.2%
3.1%
17%
Telecommunications
13.9%
5.8%
5.5%
Semiconductors
3%
7.4%
3.9%
Basic communication processes
2%
10.9%
0.6%
Measurement
5.7%
2.5%
4.1%
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
4.8%
1.8%
5.4%
Medical technology
2.6%
0.2%
2.5%
IT methods for management
2.4%
0.4%
2.1%
Control
1.9%
0.5%
0.7%

Inspect one technology field

Inspect collected applications, portfolio share and supporting publications within one field. A technology overlap does not establish that companies in different industries are direct competitors.

Apple

Collected applications
531
Share of collected applications with IPC
4.8%

Coverage is incomplete; counts and shares describe only the collected subset.

View Apple publications in this field

Meta

Collected applications
79
Share of collected applications with IPC
5.4%

Coverage is incomplete; counts and shares describe only the collected subset.

View Meta publications in this field

One application may belong to multiple fields, so shares can sum to more than 100%. Drill-down lists publications; an application publication and its grant may appear separately.

02Same problem: shared IPC subclasses

The 10 subclasses in every company's top 60 with the most combined applications. Scale is compared within a subclass, never across different business scopes.

G06FData processing
Apple3,635
Broadcom456
Meta541
H04WWireless networks
Apple3,570
Broadcom126
Meta101
H04LDigital transmission
Apple2,146
Broadcom439
Meta112
G06TImage processing
Apple986
Broadcom7
Meta307
G02BOptical elements
Apple679
Broadcom14
Meta483
H04NPictorial communication, video
Apple931
Broadcom20
Meta135
H04BTransmission
Apple981
Broadcom58
Meta23
G06VImage and video recognition
Apple417
Broadcom4
Meta122
H04RLoudspeakers, microphones
Apple318
Broadcom2
Meta52
G10LSpeech processing
Apple240
Broadcom2
Meta60

03Where each one leans

Observed emphasis within each company’s collected top-60 IPC subclasses. A dash for another company means outside its top-60 list, not zero applications or a market gap. Incomplete coverage can also change the ordering.

Apple

  • H04WWireless networks
    Apple
    3,570
    Broadcom
    126
    Meta
    101
  • H04BTransmission
    Apple
    981
    Broadcom
    58
    Meta
    23
  • H04MTelephonic communication
    Apple
    405
    Broadcom
    —
    Meta
    8
  • H02JPower supply, energy storage
    Apple
    225
    Broadcom
    5
    Meta
    15
  • G01CNavigation, surveying
    Apple
    115
    Broadcom
    1
    Meta
    —
  • G16H
    Apple
    123
    Broadcom
    —
    Meta
    4

Broadcom

  • H04LDigital transmission
    Apple
    2,146
    Broadcom
    439
    Meta
    112
  • H03MCoding, decoding
    Apple
    41
    Broadcom
    62
    Meta
    5
  • G06FData processing
    Apple
    3,635
    Broadcom
    456
    Meta
    541
  • H01LSemiconductor devices
    Apple
    135
    Broadcom
    60
    Meta
    37
  • H10W
    Apple
    73
    Broadcom
    36
    Meta
    4
  • H03HImpedance networks, filters
    Apple
    27
    Broadcom
    22
    Meta
    —

Meta

  • G02BOptical elements
    Apple
    679
    Broadcom
    14
    Meta
    483
  • G06TImage processing
    Apple
    986
    Broadcom
    7
    Meta
    307
  • G06VImage and video recognition
    Apple
    417
    Broadcom
    4
    Meta
    122
  • G02FOptical control devices
    Apple
    60
    Broadcom
    —
    Meta
    69
  • F21VLighting devices
    Apple
    27
    Broadcom
    —
    Meta
    34
  • H01QAntennas
    Apple
    150
    Broadcom
    1
    Meta
    49

04Publication rhythm

AppleBroadcomMetaPublications per period
Publications per period
PeriodAppleBroadcomMeta
2025-01≥1,049 (partial coverage)≥207 (partial coverage)≥116 (partial coverage)
2025-02≥968 (partial coverage)≥92 (partial coverage)≥146 (partial coverage)
2025-03≥1,319 (partial coverage)≥141 (partial coverage)≥163 (partial coverage)
2025-04≥1,232 (partial coverage)≥163 (partial coverage)≥153 (partial coverage)
2025-05≥993 (partial coverage)≥101 (partial coverage)≥142 (partial coverage)
2025-06≥846 (partial coverage)≥79 (partial coverage)≥124 (partial coverage)
2025-07≥956 (partial coverage)≥77 (partial coverage)≥123 (partial coverage)
2025-08≥989 (partial coverage)≥56 (partial coverage)≥130 (partial coverage)
2025-09≥906 (partial coverage)≥69 (partial coverage)≥94 (partial coverage)
2025-10≥928 (partial coverage)≥86 (partial coverage)≥153 (partial coverage)
2025-11≥1,005 (partial coverage)≥94 (partial coverage)≥102 (partial coverage)
2025-12≥1,169 (partial coverage)≥65 (partial coverage)≥99 (partial coverage)

Empty dashed outlines mark uncollected periods. Hatched bars and ≥ counts mark partial coverage.

Publication timing follows examination and publication cycles, not R&D intensity.

What makes it comparableThe same publication window and counting units. Companies with different windows are not put in one comparison.

What is not comparableGroup totals. Business and entity scopes differ; compare scale within a field or subclass.

Not a rankingSimilarity and shares describe structure, not patent value, quality or technical leadership.