The comparison to the iPhone doesn’t make sense to me. Who is buying iPhones just to show off? They’re not that much more expensive than flagship Android phones.
It used to be a big status symbol, but they've become more mainstream now. People will still look down on people using Android phones though.
related: Beats headphones are / were a status symbol, as are airpods. The kids want airpods. People want to be seen wearing airpods. People want to be seen.
You sure the women in the article don't think the same way about the bags? The price difference between a working Android phone and top of the line iPhone is around 10x as well.