Startups can "ship" many times before anyone notices. Big companies (like Apple) can do private user testing. You will know when your product is great because

Startups can "ship" many times before anyone notices. Big companies (like Apple) can do private user testing. You will know when your product is great because users will have an unmistakable reaction. It's the difference between "oh, that sounds interesting" and "shut up and take my money!"