LordeHawk

For those that have an uneducated opinion...

China making unlicensed VPN apps illegal, is not the same as forcing Apple to build a decryption back door.  I know this might be very difficult to understand but there're plenty of VPN apps available in China.  For all you conspiracy idiots out there, Apple caving to the NSA without a Cold War style stand off is just plain stupid.  Please go wrap your house in foil and unplug your phones, just don't breed.

A market exodus provides no partnerships or influence for the future.  If the Chinesese wanted a free internet they would demand it, or move out.  We must not be so egocentric as to push our beliefs on every government or culture.  So many children and trolls on the internet these days.

That being said, Merica!

Hahahahhahahaha,

Just made my Friday, thank you.
So allegedly Fitbit will develop a smart watch that does everything Apple Watch does, down to screen brightness.  This watch will have GPS and run apps, with a four day battery.
Right....

More than one day battery?  I bet the Apple engineers are really kicking themselves now.  How did FitBit find some miracle battery engineers that Apple couldn't.

Wait, how big is this watch?

Maybe it has a little MoonBat engine inside...
This reminds me of the old Microsoft vapor ware promises.

Watch out Samsung! See what I did there?

In a perfect world every product would benefit noble causes, at least product RED brings funds and awareness to a disease that is destroying lives around the world.  Every disease is heartbreaking, I have lost loved people to cancer, AIDS, heroine addiction, heart disease and Alzheimer's.  One day we will win this battle and new ones will replace the old.

This just shows how different companies are, some pursue noble causes while some celebrate fried chicken.  Oh wait, that is a noble cause, I'm sure they use only healthy air friers, not any cheap vegetable oils...

I guess I could get a clear case with LEDs inside to highlight my envyable KFC edition phone.  Wouldn't want people to think I bought a regular Huawei...

iPhone has an Apple on the back, it's also food, and the origin of sin.  God o love it...

I can keep going but I will exercise restraint, any exercise should be pursued in relation to KFC...

  

Patent Trolls need to be called what they are, Greedy Selfish Fu*#%.

To think that this money could actually be invested into real jobs and innovation.  Instead deep pockets form companies to buy IP and sue the hell out of everyone, in a throw it all against a wall and see what sticks strategy.  Only lawyers and the "deep pockets" make money, while the damages get passed on to the consumers.  These non-practicing entities shouldn't be tolerated in America, essentially buying a monopoly position with IP.  I might be old school, but I was raised to work hard, educate yourself, and give it everything you have to pursue your dreams.  Sometimes it's more of an American Nigtmare, rather than a dream.  I bet these companies still get write offs and tax breaks.

I have an idea, patent trolls shouldn't be recognized as an incorporated status, exposing the deep pocket's assets legally.  We could pay down the debt or something. Ha

If you can't invest in American talent and innovation, let alone global opportunities, maybe you shouldn't have the responsibility that privilege brings.  I might be wrong, perhaps a no-holds-barred approach to greed is a better future for all.  I'm not saying anyone should be obligated to be selfless or give your money away, but perhaps a personal moral toward a better future pays unimaginable dividends.

Just my two cents...

Three primary options here.

First, this is only a rumor or something on next years cyclical upgrades.

Second, this is already on the new flagship phone, we're just hearing about it now.

Finally, it's possible this is being implemented for a late arrival flagship phone.
I work in a prototyping industry and while it seems impossible for a September launch, a later launch is possible.  We design and fabricate around the idea Build to Order BTO, like a computer manufacturer.  We lock up design elements that can no longer change (i.e. Battery placement & size, screen, etc) and then finalize last minute details or prefabricated internals from suppliers.  Apple does this with custom computer orders and it wouldn't be difficult if you have everything lined up with additional vendors and fallback plans.  If Apple knew 4 months ago this was a realistic option by launch, they would've designed the chassis and connectors to include cutouts and alerted vendors of new ICB layouts.  Consider also that the internal ICBs are also being designed by Apple and their suppliers in this manner, creating a dynamic and flexible supply chain.  If a new flagship arrives, remember it will be in severely constrained quantities anyway.  Three suppliers are more than enough to handle components for a limited new product that Apple's been planning for a while now.
I would bet money that final assembly would be the real bottle neck.  New products have many unique parts and processes that are spread across multiple assembly lines.  One cannot simple take workers from iPhone 7 production lines and expect them to just figure it out.  New equipment, processes, and training must be iterated through till you reach production requirements.  During new product launches, many problems will be discovered and rectified in realtime, some of which may alter core processes.
Tim Cooks true genius is his background developing this infinitely complex ballet while under Steve Jobs leadership.  Apple's modern day magic is just as much about producing an array of products with such tight production tolerances, as it is about the actual products themselves.

In my honest opinion, no other company has performed this well for so long on such a titanic endeavor.  I'm humbled by each tech company, no matter how big or small, these products are truly a labor of love.  We are living in amazing times!