Yeah, I mentioned this to Trail Designs, but they were worried about overheat problems and limiting to a single type of stove, ie a remote burner stove, as well as some minor considerations (for example, supplying a longer handle on the burner adjustment.) As documented by Roger C., a top mounted stove could overheat and explode, hence your requirement for a remote stove. In Rand's case, he cited a potential for filling the cone with unlit gas and having someone hold a match to it. Slightly exciting... In the case of a WG stove, things could be worse than exciting.
It appears reasonable that using the sides of a pot as well as the bottom can replace a ribbon folded and welded against the bottom, but surface area(the part that picks up heat) is actually reduced. As far as overall efficiency is concerned, the wind reduction, et al (losses due to the innefficiency of titanium heat transfer, heat lost out the sides and not recovered, etc) likely mean they will perform as well as a heat exchange system in the field, though.
The failure apears to be a melted titanium alloy. I suspect that the stove was used in a fairly strong wind, concentrating heat in one area. I *believe* this could account for the melt of an off quality alloy. Titanium does not conduct heat as well as aluminum, so it could build up over time. It appears that the spot welds were near the outside of the pot. They could have failed to bond properly. Also, the alloys might not have been thuroughly mixed. Having a fairly high Aluminum component might have reduced the melting point and also caused a weak weld joint.