This is nothing more then PR twisting, by a company that is suspected of willfully working with spying/law enforcement agencies.
To me to have the press sit there an report this without highlighting the companies past and current data collecting activities is misleading the public into thinking they are somehow safe, or just to give people a false sense of security as a way to sell more phones then your competitor.
First, *every* US company is suspected to work together with the NSA. So Apple isn't worse off in that regard.
Second, this feature is not about avoiding the NSA. The spooks can just utilize the cell network to track you. This feature is about *everyone else* trying to track you. Because, you know, not everyone is able to spoof a cell tower. But everyone *is* able to put up a WiFi hotspot.
Third, *of course* this is about selling more devices. And what's wrong with trying to make money by offering something actually useful?