Why would Apple fix something that do not affect Apple users ?
While I'm sure there are grains of truth in the article, I'm also sure they're presented in such a way to lead you to a conclusion.
Google wants to either get access to the iMessage ecosystem or relegate it to the fringe. Because they can exert pressure on RCS, they cannot exert pressure on iMessage.
Only if "low quality blurry images and video" is your definition of "it works". Or maybe you've just never checked what the image actually looks like on the receiving phone.