I think at that point the DOJ would intervene. Apple is already on their "bad" list with their uncooperative stance toward encryption; the IRS also has wet dreams of taking in a big chunk of that offshore cash.

Since POET has already worked on undisclosed defense hardware, the risk of letting Apple control this key technology as well as potentially the key technology of so many other verticals would be too much for the government to allow. And yes, it would be uncompetitive.

(Of course this could all be rendered moot if POET stays a Canadian company.)

This might be the one time (in our lifetimes) the government would have the good sense to do something proactively that would benefit the public at large, though that would not be their intent.