It's easier to fake, but it's still not the same. By that, I mean that the final image might have that look, but you can't do anything with it after the fact. With a RAW image with true dynamic range, you can do whatever you want with it and change it up as you wish.

The compression on the images is also another thing contributing to the watercolor look and lack of sharpness. Cell phone cameras are worried about space constraints on the device itself and across the network.