Just IMHO, and stated in extreme terms: I think the test is entirely based on the need of the market and not at all on the app. That is, if you app does someth

Just IMHO, and stated in extreme terms: I think the test is entirely based on the need of the market and not at all on the app. That is, if you app does something that customers need to do, that they can't do, they will be delighted to have it no matter how crappy it is (provided it can actually do what they need). Christensen calls this "targeting non-consumption". Bonus: if you improve it quickly, you get much more kudos than if it was that good in the first place. However, this does not apply if your customers already have an alternative to do the job - especially if it is better than what you offer. And that's what it boils down to: you only need to be better than what they have now. If they cobbled together their own ad hoc solution, you only have to be better than that. If they have nothing, you're OK as long as you are not "worse than useless". > there are a good amount out there that our current benefit/feature-set would be very beneficial for. Target those people. The others aren't your customers - yet. But they'll keep on eye on you, if you keep getting better... which is expected in technology. As long as you don't pretend to be something you're not, I don't think it can harm you. Bonus: people pay much less attention to your launch than you could possibly believe. (e.g. How many launches have you noticed?) I would also suggest that incremental word of mouth is how you really build success, not by launch. That is, don't "hit the mainstream", but just expand your circle, step by step. YMMV One way to do this targeting is to have a roadmap, or the promise. This clearly states to customers what you can't do, so they won't get fooled (and they'll trust you more for being straight). And yet it also captures their mindshare, because they'll keep you in mind for when you can. Some of them might even aggressively demand, like J. Jonah Jameson, "We need feature X now - when will you have it?!" That's a good thing. As I said, just IMHO.