> Not an EE myself but honestly baffled how the author got that impression with the huge expansion of RF engineering in the consumer space -

Lots of RF devices doesn't actually mean much RF engineering.

If you want 5G connectivity almost everyone buys an integrated module. Chip, antenna, and certifications included. No serious RF engineering required, no RF engineer in the building.

Those modules designers would be purchasing their chip from one of a few companies, like Qualcomm or MediaTek. Even then most of the work isn't RF engineering, it's stitching together a product and grinding through the certifications.

Much of the innovation is done away from the consumer space where certifications are less constraining.