I think this is one of the reasons Apple makes hardware products that are so polished when they finally are released. It lets them try things until they get it right, and if they haven't gotten it right then usually they just keep on working towards it.
I just read the book about the making of the Segway "Code Named Ginger" and in it there is a Jobs quote where he says "Screw the lead times. You don't have a great product yet! I know burn rates are important, but you'll only get one shot at this, and if you blow it, it's over." http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3533.html In my opinion this is how Apple operates for a lot of products where they are seen as innovative and the cash in the bank allows them to do this.
I wonder if it would have been possible to have made the Segway a success on launch? Is there anything different (in hindsight) they could have done to the product itself to make it a "great product" on launch. Steve obviously was interested in the idea from an early stage, so what did he feel was missing from the product before launch?
I just read the book about the making of the Segway "Code Named Ginger" and in it there is a Jobs quote where he says "Screw the lead times. You don't have a great product yet! I know burn rates are important, but you'll only get one shot at this, and if you blow it, it's over." http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3533.html In my opinion this is how Apple operates for a lot of products where they are seen as innovative and the cash in the bank allows them to do this.