14 DAY TRIAL // UBM TechInsights has published its landscape analysis on Apple Inc. with a focus on the Mac maker’s patent portfolio and IP investments.
The report points out to some of the most significant innovations, acquisitions and recent litigation activities involving the Cupertino giant.
Of the 15,500 patents Apple owns, 8,500 are listed in the US, says UBM. Apple is named as the original assignee in 84% of them, while another 10% are left blank.
Most of the patents appear to be Apple generated, the research shows, and third-party patent acquisitions account for just over 5% of the lot.
Finally, individual investors account for less than 0.5%.
The late Apple co-founder and CEO, Steve Jobs, appeared on all patents in a search of Apple's top 25 inventors.
Gordon Holstead, senior business analyst, UBM TechInsights, believes “What is interesting to note about the acquisitions is the understanding it provides into the direction Apple is going with the removal of hard drives from all of its systems.”
“This change is already evident in current generations of Apple's iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air series,” he said. “Apple will probably become the first company to move completely to solid-state solutions."
A vital aspect when trying to understand the patent landscape is standards, says UBM. The report tries to “identify all patents that Apple has volunteered to be part of the standards, as well as how many times a particular patent has been used in a certain standard,” said Holstead.
“While none of these patents are used in litigation, it is possible that a follow-up patent could find itself in use in future cases,” he added.
Those interested in the litigation activities that involve Apple with a total of 41 plaintiff cases and 242 defendant cases are more than encouraged to download and review the Apple Patent Landscape by UBM TechInsights.
The firm appropriately points out that litigation activities involving the Cupertino company have steadily increased in the last four years, “with 2011 being a record year.”
A summary of patents used in litigation, both in plaintiff and defendant cases (and in some instances, both), is also offered.
“The Apple Patent Landscape highlights key facts about litigation and shows how Apple is actively defending its patents and acquiring new patents to build out its portfolio thus giving valuable insights into Apple's top priorities moving forward,” explains UBM.
A summary of the report is available at UBM’s booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Stand 2B113, Hall 2.0).