Sales of Apple iPhones dropped at the end of last year, as the tech firm's roll out of new artificial intelligence (AI) features was met with a lukewarm response. Chief executive Tim Cook said the new features helped to drive stronger sales in the countries where they were available, such as the US.

The company has heavily advertised AI features since the latest iPhones were released in September.

Apple shares rose more than 3% in premarket trading on Friday after the company forecast relatively strong sales growth, hinting at a recovery from a dip in iPhone sales as it rolls out artificial intelligence features.