Apple, Canon, Samsung lead loyalty index

Apple has scored a victory in public perception through two important wins in Brand Keys' 2010 Loyalty Index. The iPhone helped it top the researchers' smartphone ranks, while unibody MacBooks helped push it above Dell and all others Windows PC brands in the full-size notebook computer category. Although it technically doesn't produce a netbook, Apple also managed a position in the category as the MacBook Air commanded more loyalty than either Nokia's Booklet 3G or Sony netbooks like the VAIO P and W.

The iPhone may have also had an effect on carrier loyalty as AT&T held the most devotion despite its well-known call quality issues.

Other categories also tended to be led by a small number of companies. Samsung had the most widespread leadership as it tied for Acer in netbooks and either led or tied for the lead in LCD and plasma HDTVs. Canon had ties in both the DSLR and compact camera fields.

Microsoft claimed few wins but did manage to tie in loyalty in web searches thanks to Bing, which tied with Google despite less than a year in existence.

By Electronista Staff