(Telecompaper) China saw its first-ever annual decline in smartphone shipments in 2017. The market fell 4 percent year-on-year to 459 million units. This drop was partly due to China having one of its worst year-on-year performances in the fourth quarter of 2017, with shipments plunging by more than 14 percent to just under 113 million units, according to a report from Canalys. The report also indicates that Huawei shipments jumped 9 percent against the overall market decline, shipping more than 24 million smartphones and staying on top.