Iphone

F ew brands engender such intense loyalty as that found in the hearts of core Apple buyers. Whether they own a Mac computer, an iPod, an iPhone, or an iPad, Apple devotees are granitelike in their devotion to the brand. At one end are the quietly satisfied Mac users, folks who own a Mac and use it for e-mailing, browsing, and social networking. At the other extreme, however, are the Mac zealots—the socalled MacHeads or Macolytes. The Urban Dictionary defines a Macolyte as “one who is fanatically devoted to Apple products,” as in “He’s a Macolyte; don’t even think of mentioning Microsoft within earshot.” The chances are good that you know one of these MacHeads. Maybe you are one. They’re the diehards who buy all the latest Apple products and accessories to maximize their Mac lives. They virtually live in the local Apple store. Some have even been known to buy two iPhones—one for themselves and the other just to take apart, to see what it looks like on the inside, and maybe, just to marvel at Apple’s ingenious ability to cram so much into a tight little elegant package. There’s at least a little MacHead in every Apple customer. Mac enthusiasts see Apple founder Steve Jobs as the Walt Disney of technology. Say the word Apple in front of Mac fans, and they’ll go into rhapsodies about the superiority of the brand. Some MacHeads even tattoo the Apple logo on their bodies. According to one industry observer, a Mac or iPhone comes “not just as a machine in a box, it [comes] with a whole community” of fellow believers. What is it that makes Apple buyers so loyal' Why do they buy a Mac instead of an HP or a Dell, or an iPhone instead of