CNIPA.AI

Company patentsCompare

HEAD TO HEAD

AppleMicrosoftTesla

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.

Microsoft: Applicant names included in these statistics — MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLCReviewed names not covered — MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC.

Tesla: Applicant names included in these statistics — TESLA INC · TESLA MOTORS INCReviewed names not covered — TESLA MOTORS, INC. · TESLA, INC.

Apple

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

Microsoft

Publications
7,140
Invention share
97%
Concentration
0.59
Green technology
—

Tesla

Publications
609
Invention share
91%
Concentration
0.29
Green technology
—
0.85

Apple × Microsoft

0.42

Apple × Tesla

0.48

Microsoft × Tesla

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 / Microsoft / Tesla
Computer technology
39.1%
72.5%
24.4%
Digital communication
42.1%
22.4%
2.4%
Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
4.8%
2.1%
33.6%
Transport
0.6%
0.1%
31.6%
Audio-visual technology
14.2%
10.5%
4.5%
Telecommunications
13.9%
3.3%
1.8%
Optics
7.2%
3.8%
1.7%
Measurement
5.7%
2.1%
4.2%
Semiconductors
3%
2.1%
6.2%
Control
1.9%
1%
5.2%
IT methods for management
2.4%
4.2%
0.7%
Materials, metallurgy
0.2%
0.1%
5.7%

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

Tesla

Collected applications
200
Share of collected applications with IPC
33.6%

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

View Tesla 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
Microsoft3,890
Tesla85
H04LDigital transmission
Apple2,146
Microsoft1,379
Tesla13
G06TImage processing
Apple986
Microsoft479
Tesla21
H04NPictorial communication, video
Apple931
Microsoft482
Tesla5
G06NComputing models, AI
Apple200
Microsoft1,064
Tesla66
G02BOptical elements
Apple679
Microsoft236
Tesla7
G06VImage and video recognition
Apple417
Microsoft295
Tesla48
H05KPrinted circuits, assemblies
Apple155
Microsoft164
Tesla19
H02JPower supply, energy storage
Apple225
Microsoft54
Tesla23
G01SRadar, positioning
Apple199
Microsoft43
Tesla8

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
    Microsoft
    196
    Tesla
    —
  • H04BTransmission
    Apple
    981
    Microsoft
    108
    Tesla
    —
  • G02BOptical elements
    Apple
    679
    Microsoft
    236
    Tesla
    7
  • H04MTelephonic communication
    Apple
    405
    Microsoft
    83
    Tesla
    —
  • H04RLoudspeakers, microphones
    Apple
    318
    Microsoft
    35
    Tesla
    —
  • G09GDisplay control
    Apple
    300
    Microsoft
    69
    Tesla
    —

Microsoft

  • G06FData processing
    Apple
    3,635
    Microsoft
    3,890
    Tesla
    85
  • G06NComputing models, AI
    Apple
    200
    Microsoft
    1,064
    Tesla
    66
  • H04LDigital transmission
    Apple
    2,146
    Microsoft
    1,379
    Tesla
    13
  • G06QBusiness data processing
    Apple
    264
    Microsoft
    290
    Tesla
    —
  • G10LSpeech processing
    Apple
    240
    Microsoft
    250
    Tesla
    —
  • A63F
    Apple
    26
    Microsoft
    69
    Tesla
    —

Tesla

  • H01MBatteries, electrochemical cells
    Apple
    91
    Microsoft
    22
    Tesla
    115
  • B60LElectric vehicle propulsion
    Apple
    —
    Microsoft
    —
    Tesla
    36
  • B62DBodies, chassis
    Apple
    —
    Microsoft
    —
    Tesla
    36
  • B60WVehicle sub-unit control
    Apple
    —
    Microsoft
    —
    Tesla
    35
  • B60RVehicle electrics, fittings
    Apple
    —
    Microsoft
    —
    Tesla
    30
  • B60QVehicle lighting, signals
    Apple
    —
    Microsoft
    —
    Tesla
    26

04Publication rhythm

AppleMicrosoftTeslaPublications per period
Publications per period
PeriodAppleMicrosoftTesla
2025-01≥1,049 (partial coverage)≥539 (partial coverage)≥57 (partial coverage)
2025-02≥968 (partial coverage)≥503 (partial coverage)≥37 (partial coverage)
2025-03≥1,319 (partial coverage)≥603 (partial coverage)≥27 (partial coverage)
2025-04≥1,232 (partial coverage)≥647 (partial coverage)≥43 (partial coverage)
2025-05≥993 (partial coverage)≥566 (partial coverage)≥60 (partial coverage)
2025-06≥846 (partial coverage)≥487 (partial coverage)≥58 (partial coverage)
2025-07≥956 (partial coverage)≥686 (partial coverage)≥52 (partial coverage)
2025-08≥989 (partial coverage)≥563 (partial coverage)≥56 (partial coverage)
2025-09≥906 (partial coverage)≥587 (partial coverage)≥52 (partial coverage)
2025-10≥928 (partial coverage)≥689 (partial coverage)≥56 (partial coverage)
2025-11≥1,005 (partial coverage)≥582 (partial coverage)≥54 (partial coverage)
2025-12≥1,169 (partial coverage)≥688 (partial coverage)≥57 (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.