These excuses just keep getting funnier. App developers: make sure you file your patents, or else its YOUR fault if Apple decides to participate in blatant 90s style Microsoft anticompetitive behavior.
There are enough swiping keyboards around now that it would be tricky to get any patent on it surely? Definitely seems like a dick move but "tech company copies good feature that isn't legally protected" is not exactly uncommon in this industry, if anything it's encouraged by most consumers
The parent commentor is not excusing Apple's behaviour, nor saying it was the developer's fault. They said the developer would be in a better position if they had a patent.