If Sims 5 was any time soon, EA would likely not bother with ending support for 32 bit systems with Sims 4.
The fact that they are, means that we've got at least a few more years left of Sims 4 development before Sims 5 will come out.
As to the points in the article:
Great year for the series could mean that they've got great EP's, GP's, and SP's set up for the year.
While it might be outdated, with no competition, this leaves EA to set the pace for when it releases Sims 5. None of the previous versions ended due them being outdated.
Games take several years to develop. The fact that they are hiring now means that if it is indeed for Sims 5, we're likely a few years out.
