In Apple's case, profits are high because the difference between perceived value and cost is high, which in turn is the case mostly because the perceived value is high. Now you claim that this is because of "marketing to push some kind of perception of value that isn't there" and "riding a wave of hype". I find this a rather stupid assumption. Much more likely is that your perception of value is very much different from that of the average customer, and that you can't see past your own perception. Much more likely than 200 million iOS users and 20 million iPad users all falling for some stupid marketing tricks.
You're saying that Apple isn't a master marketeer ? Seriously, all the praises of their marketing and brand building on MR is pure bunk ?
Apple is the very best at building "brand awareness" or do you not see how people are right now buying up iPods because "I want an iPod", not because "I want a PMP". Let's face it, they're all pretty much equivalent these days, be it a Sony Walkman, a Zune or an iPod. Apple just built a brand and can sell their products for more because they have created demand based on that brand.
That halo effect then applies to other products. Look at some people here on this very forum, they won't buy stuff that doesn't have an Apple on it. It's not "I want a tablet to read books on, read and write e-mails on, browse the web", because those tablets are a dime a dozen. It's "I want an iPad".
That drives up perceived value, because then it's not the product that has an actual value it's the branding on it. And with such value tacked on, Apple manages to make bigger margins.
How inflated are their margins based on brand value vs actual product value ? Who knows, I can tell you though, there's a reason they make more profits than anyone else and that is very much a wave of hype over the brand.
Call it stupid all you want, people do buy and want Apple gear because it is Apple gear, not because it is inherently better as a product and that is what I refer to when I say "Wave of hype".
