They checked out the app, took a few screenshots (23, hardly earth-shattering), and built their own version. The creator of Footpath thinks Strava's version isn't very good, so they clearly haven't copied the actual algorithm, just taken inspiration from the idea (which is arguably not that novel).
On top of that, someone working at the company got credit and praise when it wasn't even their concept to begin with.
I know that credit/acknowledgement can't be given due to legal issues, but the average person isn't going to be able to afford to fight legally.
Even if they could afford it, they would have no legal legs to stand on. It would be pure spite litigation.
E.g. me, I never heard of footpath before, the first time I stumbled over this draw&match method of route planning was with the release of the Sigma Rox 12 bike GPS, apparently long after footpath implemented it and only few months earlier than the Strava version.
Questions is an understatement, that shit was a full design doc. Mine was about 15 pages long.
Are you saying there is a number of screenshots that would be earth-shattering?