ESP32 is available as a tiny module that is soldered to the board as if it was a chip.
Ignoring the module results in a flawed comparison. The module is chip and frequently used.
If they encased the module in plastic and called it a chip, it would be the same. You can think of it as a chip.
Do they sell chip-like modules with camera connectors and battery controllers, though? I don't deny that ESP32 modules look like and are soldered as though they were chips, but to me it's clear that GP was mixing up chips (and chip-like modules) with boards.
Espressif sell bare chips, modules with castellations for soldering to a PCB, and complete boards that typically contain a module. Some 3rd-party boards use a bare chip. Some 3rd-party boards also have castellations, as do Picos sold without pre-soldered headers. 3rd-party modules are also a thing.
Here's a pic of a module and several boards that demonstrates all of that.
- board with a battery charger: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-rp2040-pico/powe...
- board with camera: https://www.waveshare.com/pico-cam-a.htm