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.

Worldwide smartphone sales grew in 2024 following two consecutive years of decline according to reports from Counterpoint, Canalys, and IDC. The bulk of the growth came from Chinese manufacturers including Xiaomi and Vivo, though Apple and Samsung are still holding strong as the undisputed market leaders.

Apple's global smartphone market share declined to 18% in 2024, down from 19% the previous year, while Chinese manufacturers expanded

Apple smartphone shipments in China fell 25% in the fourth quarter, while Huawei's rose 24%, data from research firm Canalys showed on Thursday.Apple shipped 13.1 million units versus Huawei's 12.9 million,

Apple and Samsung, the world’s top two smartphone makers, saw their global market shares decline last year, marking the first such drop in eight years since 2016. According to market researcher IDC on Jan.