Apple’s R&D spending hits new record as AI investment ramps up

Apple posted a record $11.4 billion in R&D spending for fiscal Q2 2026, up 34% year over year.

Tim Cook said the company is clearly investing more across products, services, and AI.

The bigger R&D outlay underscores Apple’s push to accelerate AI and new product development.

Apple still spends less on R&D than some major rivals such as Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft.