The lag between announcement and delivery is based on manufacturing ramp up time for FF using a modified process and the fact that Nikon will produce theirs first. Let's remember we still want Canon to be in business, so yes they will pre-announce...
SATA III drives max out at around 400-500MBps (real-world) not Mbps, so I don't think the i/o subsystem is a bottleneck
Exmor is equivalent to Digic, not the sensor....
I agree with the other post and have said before - Canon released updated glass first as they can get revenue ahead of the sensor improvements on both the 7D II and 1DxL
USB 3 / thunderbolt - I've only ever used USB to control the camera - do others prefer to use these i/f to offload pictures etc? The Ethernet on the 1Dx is faster than the CF card, as would be the USB 3 and Thunderbolt, so not sure the benefit of adding a faster i/o ports without faster CF, unless you are tethered....
Photographers asked for better high iso, and the way Canon chose to do it, presumably based on sensor limitations was to reduce the MP slightly. They're a business and thus want to respond as best as they can with the tech they have to retain you. Pretty normal IMHO....
Overall, when I read these threads I am reminded on Tom Hogan who normally calls it correctly when he said with the current cameras from Nikon & Canon you really can't blame the camera on making bad pictures, only the photographer....
