There are stages of wear:
New - full treaded
Used - has most of the tread
Well used - has little tread
Homemade race slick - has no tread
Maypop - has no tread, can see a little of the cords and may pop while riding
Going to pop - Can see most of the cords, leaks air and will go flat when you the farest from home
Can see air - not flat yet, but dont touch it, it will leak air
Flat - tire gave the ghost up.
I do think that is a prime example of Going to pop. But not far from Can see air.
I check my tires daily, you never know when your going to find you have something in the tire or low air presser. How he got the stage he did with out seeing it?