> But please don't pretend that Apple is for the masses. Not every Apple product is for everyone, but they have done a very good job of creating a product line

> But please don't pretend that Apple is for the masses. Not every Apple product is for everyone, but they have done a very good job of creating a product line diverse enough that anyone can afford something. Minimum wage laborers are certainly seen sporting iPods. iPads are still the most popular kind of tablet. If you can afford X for a product you want, if you put in the effort/take out a loan, you can afford 1.5X for a product in the same class. We're not talking about cars, where the luxury brands can easily exceed the expense of commodity brands by factors of ten or a hundred. > If it wasn't for that logo, people wouldn't fork over the kind of money they do. Yes, they built up their brand on good service and quality, but then, every luxury brand does that as well. The fact that other luxury brands do something similar vis-a-vis service and quality doesn't mean you get to slyly deduct it from reasons to buy Apple. Buying Apple gets you a pretty thoroughly integrated positive experience. The logo certainly has value, but it's a lot more than just the logo. Expect to see Apple remaining in their market position for as long as it takes their competitors to develop an appreciation for the advantages these non-technical and semi-technical efforts bring.