Originally Posted by GUWonder

Apple controls who gets review units and also controls who can buy rather large quantities of iPhones without going through the common channels of waiting in line (online or at the stores) to get them.

Apple is nowhere near as generous in handing out complimentary flagship devices to rather higher profile people as Samsung is. Samsung seems to just dump massive numbers of their flagship devices upon sports and entertainment figures it favors.

All major companies selling into mass retail markets seem to do what they can to get their message/brand the attention they want. How they do it varies. And their methods -- just like with the methods of the airlines and hotel and travel credit card companies -- are built on one or all of the following: influencing via access or other favors/goodies.

Some people master the art of taking from big money benefactors without feeling obliged or behaving in a way that appears to make them seem obliged to their big money benefactors, but most don't. And it shows in the miles and points (and credit card sales) blog space too.