The Chinese-language media often referred Steve Jobs as "the High Priest of the Apple sect/cult". While this may sound ridiculous at first glance, the description is quite fitting and the Apple brand is in many ways similar to a cult. (Full disclosure: I am the owner of one Apple product — the iMac I am typing on right now.)
Many cults demand its followers to hand over all their possessions to the cult and the followers often enthusiastically relinquish their possessions. While the Apple cult does not demand its followers/customers to give up all their possession (otherwise the followers would have to give away their Apple products as well), millions of people voluntarily make regular cash offerings to the company (when they purchase new products, podcasts, songs, videos, and apps). It also appears that people working at Apple headquarters are happy to perform heavy labour and to serve the cult and its leader, by which I mean the company and its chairman.
Modern day cults are often synonymous with its charismatic leader. Cult members are often in awe when the leader appears in their midst. They also hold every object touched by the leader with admiration, believing that they have been blessed. Judging by the reaction at each product release event, the crowd's admiration of Steve Jobs is at par with cult members' admiration towards their leader.
Often cult members are deeply committed to converting "non-believers". To increase the number of converts, Apple uses a series of ads to promote the idea that joining the Apple cult would lead to a better life. Specifically, life would be simple and fun if Apple products are a part of it. Members of the Apple cult often use the idea that its products are pure (proprietary hardware/software) and clean (little to no virus or malware attacks) to help convince others to join.
It can be quite difficult for someone to leave a cult. Those who wish to leave a cult often receive pleas and threats from fellow cult members, asking them to stay with the cult and warning them of the "dangerous world outside". To prevent someone in the cult from leaving, members of the Apple cult would try to convince those contemplating to leave that the outside world (or the competitors' product) is inferior in every way.
A cult is also very good at convincing its members to overlook the problems within the cult and to defend the cult when it is questioned by outsiders. While Apple's products generally are more expensive compared to similar products made by other companies, cult members (Apple fans) often overlook that fact and make offerings anyways; when Apple's phone experienced antenna issues, the way users rushed to Apple's defense can be considered an act of a cult's followers defending the cult's shortcomings.
Cults are often shrouded in secrecy and the higher-ups within a cult keep the followers in the dark in many matters. Anyone who reveals the cult's secrets, no matter how small, are often severely punished. Judging by the company's reaction to leaks of its products' specifications prior to the products' release, the Apple cult doesn't appear to take kindly to those who leak secrets (of its new products) to outsiders.
Often cults crumble after the leader's departure (from the cult or the world). As Steve Jobs, the high priest, probably have mapped out the near-term direction of the cult/company, we probably have to wait a little while before we know whether the Apple cult's drawing power will wane. (Given the appeal of the current batch of Apple products and the admiration cult members have towards their high priest, my guess is that the cult will remain strong for quite a long time.)