This article assumes that "the public" is a homogeneous group. In reality, if you want to release a polished, useful app to "the public" (i.e. a median target user), you probably need to release early and often to early adopters first.
His point is not to 'release early, release often' to the unwashed masses, but to 'release late, release rarely' to the public so they get a polished, finished product.