Who Do You Trust? Surprisingly, Microsoft

Really? You trust Microsoft MSFT more than Apple AAPL? More than Samsung SSNLF or even Sony SNE? Based on a study conducted by global research and advisory firm, Forrester FORR, you do.

According to Geekwire, Forrester asked 4,551 U.S. adults about their preferences for most “trusted, reliable, unmistakable, and essential” tech brand. Forrester’s rating metric, which it calls TRUE, found Microsoft to be the most “trusted” and “reliable.” Apple was judged most “unmistakable and “remarkable” but that wasn’t enough to topple Microsoft from the top rating.

Microsoft shined as the sole “Trailblazer” which is the highest rating awarded. Apple, Sony, and Samsung were second tier “Leaders,” while Hewlett-Packard HPQ was seen by respondents as a third level “Follower.” The two lowest levels were “Laggard” and “Ashtray.”

Nobody was more shocked at the outcome than Forrester, which called it a “surprise” upset. For anyone who would like to dig into Forrester’s study in detail, it is available, for a price - $499.

For a possible explanation of why the study came out the way it did, Forrester’s Tracy Stokes offered this: “While Apple and Samsung battle it out to reign supreme with the coveted Millennial generation, Microsoft has quietly stolen the consumer technology crown by becoming more trusted and essential across multiple generations.” Stokes added,”The very ubiquity that perhaps renders it uncool turns out to also be its strength.”

Despite its surprise, the company said Microsoft was "at the forefront of brand building with a unique and distinct brand identity that sets it apart from other brands."

Related: Microsoft Is Paying Attention To App Revenue Stream

As Forrester’s Stokes noted, Microsoft also seemed to gain strength from the very fact it was, for want of a better word, “uncool.”

Moreover, lest anyone think this was a “one-off” occurrence, check out Recode’s recent recounting of a study by UTA Brand Studio that also found Microsoft stronger than Apple.

Regarding study results, UTA founder and executive director, Larry Vincent told Recode, “We were surprised too, until you understand attachment. A lot of the world uses Microsoft products and people relate to it, while Apple is like a prom king or queen, beautiful but not really like us.”

At the time of this writing, Jim Probasco had no position in any mentioned securities.