In the highly competitive business landscape of the 21st century, intangible assets such as brand equity are deemed as increasingly vital to the long-term success of organisations. Brand loyalty, which is the primary driver of brand equity, germinates from consumers' brand identification, trust in the superiority of the brand and their perceptions of the social esteem that use of the brand signals The mobile phone industry is one of the most dynamic and competitive industries of this century, with new smartphones boasting breakthrough features appearing on the market in rapid succession. As the first generation to