Your arguments regarding the difficulties in reverse engineering are well founded in general, but IMO are not applicable to Apple. Apple isn’t a new comer to the BMG field. They have been actively working in BMG since the MTA of 2010 and probably earlier than that. Apple knows all of the trade secrets behind LQMT’s processes that were developed before and during the MTA (and the Capture Period thereafter). Do you believe that all of the processes and trade secrets that were developed post the MTA are completely independent of CIP technology or are at least some of them based on pre-existing technologies? Furthermore, LQMT has downsized in the last couple of years. I’m willing to bet that Apple’s current R&D budget in BMG far exceeds LQMT’s budget. Apple has lots of in-house expertise to call on, and Apple probably has secret agreements with other BMG companies- e.g., there are multiple patents that are assigned to both Apple and Glassimetal Technologies.
In general it is easier to copy and reverse engineer than it is to be first to discover. IMO Apple may use Yihao/Eontec to manufacture a BMG only part, but only if Li isn’t too greedy. If Li demands a large premium for BMG parts, Apple can use its expertise (and acquire additional expertise) to cut Li out. Apple acquired PA Semi and now Apple designs it’s chips in-house. Apple acquired Intel’s modem business and will most likely cut out Qualcomm in the near future.
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