Apple has overtaken Google as the world's most valuable brand, ending the search-engine giant's four year run at the top, according to a research study by Millward Brown.
The BrandZ report
shows that the iPhone creator and increasingly game-focused company is now valued at $153.3 billion, an increase of 84 percent over last year.
Meanwhile, Google, which also is increasing its game-related efforts on the web and mobile, was valued at $111.5 billion, down 2 percent year-over-year.
Apple's success in the last year can be attributed to the release of the iPhone 4 and the iPad. Overall iPhone sales
have more than doubled since the iPhone 4's release last year, while iPad sales accelerated significantly.
Of the top five most valuable brands in the report, four are technology brands, with McDonald's the only non-technology brand at number four.
The research report also notes that Facebook, which continues to build out its social network gaming infrastructure, was the top riser of the last year, entering the BrandZ top 100 chart for the first time at number 35, with a 246 percent increase in brand value.
Here is BrandZ's top ten list of most valuable global brands in full:
1. Apple - $153.3 billion - 84 percent increase
2. Google - $111.5 billion - 2 percent decrease
3. IBM - $100.8 billion - 17 percent increase
4. McDonald's - $81.0 billion - 23 percent increase
5. Microsoft - $78.2 billion - 2 percent increase
6. Coca Cola - $73.8 billion - 8 percent increase
7. AT&T - $69.9 billion - no change
8. Marlboro - $67.5 billion - 18 percent increase
9. China Mobile - $57.3 billion - 9 percent increase
10. GE - $50.3 billion - 12 percent increase
