"The women and men who now have to be in unsafe situations such as jumping in cars before they're seen, sneaking into dark allies to apply the trade, would have safe places to be, " she said.

Some of the aesthetic flourishes Apple is best known for may be hard to duplicate, meanwhile, such as backlit keyboards that light up in the dark.

Soldiers are often left in the dark as to where they will be deployed or what they will be expected to do.