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.

Apple Inc. has kicked off the new year with iPhone discounts in China, underlining the challenges facing the tech giant in one of the world’s most populous countries.

Multiple research firms say Apple Inc. saw its iPhone sales fall by about 5% globally in the final quarter of last year. Apple’s artificial intelligence software, called Apple Intelligence, failed to stir up strong demand,