I have a hypothesis. And I think it applies to your comparison with religion as well. It has nothing to do with the typical "sheeple" argument. Or at least, that's only half of it. It's a matter of "forces", equal and opposite. While Apple does seem to attract a lot of folks coming out of the woodwork to defend it, I would say it also attracts a disproportionate amount of hate as well.
You'll see this happen pretty much anywhere. Politics? Far right wing nutjobs come out of the woodwork, angering far left nutjobs who come out of the woodwork to counteract the former. Ditto with military forces. Rebels/terrorists come out of the woodwork, suddenly extreme force (e.g. aerial bombardment, rendition, etc) is A-OK to cancel them out. Religious fanatics come out of the woodwork, and then the atheist fanatics come out of the woodwork.
The middle pretty much ignores the fringes until the battle actually affects them. Then everyone's coming out of the woodwork.
You'll see this happen pretty much anywhere. Politics? Far right wing nutjobs come out of the woodwork, angering far left nutjobs who come out of the woodwork to counteract the former. Ditto with military forces. Rebels/terrorists come out of the woodwork, suddenly extreme force (e.g. aerial bombardment, rendition, etc) is A-OK to cancel them out. Religious fanatics come out of the woodwork, and then the atheist fanatics come out of the woodwork.
The middle pretty much ignores the fringes until the battle actually affects them. Then everyone's coming out of the woodwork.