Apple doesn't give out devices (unlike a variety of other companies that do). They lend it for review or development purposes and then you return it. That's how they work. Of course that is still a gift of sorts given that it gives some people a headstart, but for some random photographer that doesn't seem to be selling anything or have ads...eh, it's kind of a not super big value.

Further he never thanked Apple. He thanked a maker of a camera app for iOS. At most it seems to be an ad for a camera app, and they likely provided the device to him.