Re: Brilliant marketing
Indeed, and it's frustrating that even among geeks who are usually knowledgable about the tech industry, that "perception of ubiquitousness" leads them to arguing blue in the face that, say, Apple are the number one phone seller.
They also seem to do well on free product placement by the media, and by individuals. Consider how if ever a product is mentioned, for Apple it's mentioned by name: the BBC will report on someone's Macbook or Ipad; people will talk about their "Iphone"; but for any competitor, it's laptop, tablet, phone. For the media, it results in a bias in reporting. From individuals, it just sounds like trying to brag about their new product.
Also, I must admit I'm surprised that more phones haven't put logos on the casing, as that is an obvious way that the Iphone gets advertising. Although personally I like products to be logo free. Just as with clothes - Apple are the Addidas of the tech world in this respect.
Random trivia/rumour - the Mac in the classic Star Trek film (I forget which one) was originally to be the Amiga, though Commodore messed up/dropped the deal.
Greg J Preece: "People drink Coke, this is ordinary. But there is definitely a line to cross. Seeing a Nokia in a Star Trek film"
Eh? People do use Nokia - more so than any other phone company. And indeed, it would be refreshing to see Nokia for once, rather than advertising for Apple yet again. Or do you mean there's something different about phones to coke, and you'd object to seeing an Iphone or whatever there just as much?