Apple's research and development expenses reached a record $11.4 billion in its fiscal Q2 2026, marking a significant 34% increase from the same period last year. This figure represents the largest quarterly investment in R&D in the company's history, reflecting a broader industry trend towards artificial intelligence advancements.
The company's R&D spending has shown a steady rise from around $6 billion in 2022, surpassing the $10 billion threshold for the first time between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. During a conference call discussing the earnings report, CEO Tim Cook emphasized the company's commitment to AI, noting that investments in R&D are outpacing overall operational expenses.
Despite this growth, Apple still lags behind competitors in the tech sector regarding R&D spending. For comparison, Alphabet's recent earnings report showed $17 billion in R&D, while Meta reported $17.6 billion, and Microsoft had $8.9 billion. Apple announced a total revenue of $111.2 billion for Q2 2026, reflecting a 17% year-over-year increase.