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This would not be the first time that a less expensive, simpler solution proves to be the best solution.
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Its not simpler, its more complex. The same amount of components are present within the composition of the ball bearing and a sub-system is introduced. No parts are omitted with this arrangement; components are added. The IMSS may add a similar subsystem, but it removes 11 wear components as a trade-off.
The balls, cage and inner and outer races are all still residing within the engine. The simpler product is the one that has fewer wear components.
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Finally, from my limited understanding of bearings I know that journal bearings don't fare as well as roller element bearings (ball bearings) at the time when most engine wear occurs...at initial startup.
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And guess what? We have allowed engines to go through 5,200 start cycles and even idle for as much as 170 hours straight during development as just a small portion of the process that has taken years to develop the IMS Solution. Under UOA and particulate testing of oil samples as well as numerous visual inspections and measuring every part over and over again we determined that start up wear was nil with the IMSS. My UOA before and after 5200 starts was so close that one would not be able to note which was the before or after sample.
Idling with 5PSI oil pressure and 290 degree oil for 170 hours killed the rest of the engine, but didn't hurt the IMS Solution. This just barely touches the surface of what seven generations of IMSS development have entailed. This wasn't developed overnight, or with anything less than an open checkbook.