Alex hits it spot on when he says people are loyal to Apple because they make the consumer feel great about their purchase. When people compare specs and features of the iPod to other players, they're missing the point. It's about a wonderful experience from start to finish.
It's not just that the product itself is well-designed. There is attention to detail in everything from the packaging that gets people excited to the wonderful customer service that Alex described. After an recent issue with my nano, I filled out a form online and had a replacement in my hands four days later, all at no cost and with no questions asked.
Contrast that to my experiences with the (since-discontinued) Dell Pocket DJ which arrived in a non-descript cardboard box and comes with equally unimpressive support. I had an issue with it and spent a week trying to convince them that it really was an issue before giving up and relegating the DJ to backup duty.
Apple may be more expensive, but it feels like you're getting your money's worth. Then again, just because something is more expensive doesn't mean the experience is better.
I learned this the hard way after dealing with Tumi support.
First the plastic clips broke on my bag, and the only way I could have them fixed was to send the bag back which would take two weeks and a $15 processing fee. I decided it wasn't worth not having the bag for two weeks, and the clips would probably just break again.
Then the metal clasp on the strap broke, which basically rendered the bag useless. They would send me a replacement strap at no cost, but of coure they're unavailable. I've already been waiting two weeks and they can't even give me an estimate on when I might have the strap.
I sure won't be happy if I don't have my bag for my vacation next month. Not exactly what I expected for a $300 nylong computer bag...
On the other hand, we had a completely different experience with Delsey. While travelling during the holidays, the handle broke on my girlfriend's carry-on luggage. They didn't have the parts to repair the discontinued model, so they replaced it with a new model. Since it was going to take a few weeks, they even offered her a loaner. All of this at no cost to her.
I'll tell you this much: when the time comes to buy a new bag, I'm definitely going to consider Delsey over Tumi, because Delsey (like Apple) made us feel great about the purchase.