I don't think that is anything new or surprising. We all have seen it. I have several friends and relatives who still think the reason my photos are better than theirs is because I have such a "nice" or expensive camera. A few have gone out and bought entry-level Nikon or Canon DSLRs so they can take "good" pictures of the kids as they grow up. They leave the thing on "Auto" and the lens hood reversed in the carry position and wonder why they don't get photos "like Uncle Jim's." A few are considering buying up to higher end cameras to solve that problem.
On the other hand, it drives those folks crazy that my young niece, whom I gave a few basic tips on shooting children, gets better shots of her kids with her phone than the majority of the family do with their cameras.
She learned more basic photography in about 10 minutes than the others will in a lifetime and diligently applies what she learned. Makes me feel good.
The truth, as we all know, is that there is no magic bullet. Buying a status symbol camera will not make a non-photographer into a photographer. They actually have to put in the work to learn the fundamentals before that expensive purchase will pay off. Many of those status symbols will eventually wind up on a closet shelf, gathering dust, while the owners go back to using their phones.