I don't care when they reveal the specs, but when they *deliver* the camera - think of the 24-70ii - and Canon might be very well inclined to market specs before the camera is ready to counter the Nikon d600 at least on paper. That's because every day a 6d isn't there people will buy a 5d3 because they think the 5d2 is too old and they bite the bullet and go for the current 5d model.
I totally agree with you. Announcement is something, well, purely informational - availability is something completly different (see 1D-X and 24-70 II as an example). As Ive stated before Ive seen info that they are waiting for initial sales demand for 5D Mk III and 1D-X to be achieved...before high MPx body could be announced.
Keep your breath for the upcoming 6d vs d600 flame war - $2000 touch flip screen plastic crippled amateurish camera vs $1500 semipro body ... or maybe canon has learned something from the 5d3 marketing disaster? Let's hope so.
Im not the flame war person, Im actualy more "try and compare" preson. Specs are fine, ehm, but not everything. I hope that Canon learned this lesson with 5D Mk III pricing and hope for competitive 6D.
And its not all about sensor, processors counts too...
... but most of all, the whole package counts and not just the core tech specs you find on a data sheet. If the usability is amateurish like xxxd and the firmware is crippled w/ with most customization options gone the camera is positioned in another market segment. Think of the "metering linked to af point" that is on the 1dx, but not on the 5d3 - surely just for marketing purposes since the af unit is the same.
I know that whole package counts. But you know, most of users looks for the sensor first and think that only sensor makes the camera. Of course that processors, firmware and other stuff counts too. Firmware can really cripple down camera. There is a reason for pro line, semi-pro and amateur line. And technologies comes to "less pro" products over time.
My ideal package for 6D would be: 5D Mk III/1D-X/new sensor, 7D AF and 7D metring, 7D build, Digic 5/5+, 3.5-4.5 fps, AFMA.