>P.A. officials did not identify Apple but said the acquiring company may be willing to supply the chip on an end-of-life basis, if it could successfully transfer a third-party license to the technology

OK, so Apple did appear willing to allow a third party to continue production. That qualifier about the transferability of the IBM license is daunting.
Its a pity no existing company with an IBM license offered to continue manufacture. APM could have considered it.