Except it isn't. As you say, IMAP could do with modernisation; JMAP isn't that, it's a replacement.
If you want to replace a protocol that's in very widespread use, then your replacement needs to offer decisive benefits to operators and users, otherwise they won't switch. JMAP seems to offer benefits only to developers.
In theory that's doable. In practice modernizing a protocol with extensions is though, since support ends up patchy. Especially when the big email providers have few reasons to make a documented, non-propriety extension. Why would they when they can instead push people to their propriety apps?
It's definitely possible that JMAP doesn't catch on. In that case, we'll probably just keep languishing with non-modernised IMAP.
The key is getting client support, especially in mobile (where there is a noticeable user benefit) and in open source software.
I find this argument shortsighted. If it benefits developers then it does benefit users. Making developers' lives easier means they produce code faster (users like things done sooner), have fewer bugs in their code (users don't like buggy code), and have more time to implement other features (users like featureful software). I don't see how that doesn't benefit users.