I think it may have been an observation that patents can be licensed. Having a patent doesn't mean nobody else will implement it.
Further, if a government requires it, they'll do whatever it takes to make sure you will include it. If that means legislatively nulling the patent, they'll do it.
Going to a protest, take your Flip, your camera, your Android phone, whatever.
Unless it's almost universal there's little or no point.
And Apple just patented it so no-one else can implement it....