Apple lost its No. 1 spot in China as domestic rivals took advantage of the iPhone maker’s lack of artificial intelligence features available on phones purchased in the country, according to data from research firm Canalys.

Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL) slips fractionally in premarket trading after losing its top spot in China's smartphone market in 2024. Local brands Vivo and Huawei move ahead as Apple's shipments drop 17% to 42.9 million units, bringing its market share down to 15%, according to Canalys.

Apple's smartphone shipments in China plunged 25% in the fourth quarter of 2024, data from research firm Canalys showed, as the iPhone maker faced mounting pressure from a resurgent Huawei in one of its biggest global markets.

The US-based company lost its leadership position last year, but it still had the best Q4 - only just. Canalys reports that 2024 was a year of recovery

Apple was dethroned as China's biggest smartphone seller in 2024, with local rivals Vivo and Huawei overtaking the iPhone maker after its annual shipments in the country declined 17%, data from research firm Canalys showed on Thursday. Julian Satterthwaite reports.

Apple lost its position as the largest smartphone vendor in China in 2024 as local competitors Vivo and Huawei surpassed the iPhone manufacturer after its yearly shipments in the nation fell 17%, according to data released Thursday by research firm Canalys.