The biggest question I have is does Apple do user testing? Do they trust their small group of designers more than a small sample of the population?
This my biggest question for Apple's design team.
This my biggest question for Apple's design team.
There's no general rule.
I'll just say that fast iteration is key. You iterate quickly and show users prototypes, and incorporate their feedback (or not), depending on the case.
You can see the "Fake it till you make it" WWDC session on Apple's site, it speaks exactly about how Apple does prototyping and user testing.