Why do Americans hate Android and love Apple?

Why do Americans overwhelmingly prefer iPhone when the rest of the world has overwhelmingly embraced Android?

The numbers tell an incredible story. Worldwide, Android has 75% market share in smartphones, versus 15% for Apple, according to IDC. But in the United States the iPhone still rules, accounting for 63% of smartphone sales at Verizon and an amazing 84% of smartphone sales at AT&T.

In Asia, affluent young buyers are dropping the iPhone and turning to Android devices, particularly those made by Samsung, Reuters reports. One marketing manager in Bangkok says Apple products have become like Louis Vuitton handbags, something that once was considered luxe but now is commonplace.

But here in the States Android still lags far behind, even though, to my mind, the top Android phones like the Google/LG Nexus 4 and Samsung Galaxy S3 (my primary smartphone) are at least as good as the iPhone.

Why do such a huge majority of Americans go out of their way to choose Apple?