I do believe that they do read... at least the main site articles and high traffic forum threads. It's a big part of scouting what the public wants/needs.
I'm very anxious about the whole "Apollo+" update. Every article/rumor about it suggests that they're bringing some features that they couldn't get done in time for the launch. I hope this is true, but I'm also not holding my breath on any one improvement. The reason is, their operating style, so far, has been to release updates with just a few things sprinkled in and some fixes. One or two big features and minor fixes are fine, but they should come more rapidly than they are. This is why people don't think Microsoft is listening... they react too slowly and everything is too secretive.