puts on my dipshit hatFrom a software perspective, I want people to normalize open bootloaders again. The iPad is really capable hardware held back by an overly opinionated OS that feels like a toll-booth on a treadmill. I want to love iOS, but iOS loves to hate me... even booting into a Termux instance on Linux would be preferable to me. I know that's a passe opinion though, so I'll add some other complaints.
Hardware-wise, I think Apple should take a few cues from the Surface Pro. The kickstand on that really emphasizes it as a laptop alternative, and user-replaceable storage was a respectful addition that earned the "Pro" moniker. I think the iPad is capable of reprising both features, even if only for the Pro models. As-is, the current iPad Pro features feel more like enthusiast upgrades rather than professional tools. That's not bad, but they could do better.
I'll be the first to admit that I far prefer the iPhone 4-style boxy design of the newer iPads. It's so much better than the rounded space-age models in a lot of ways. The only tweak I'd make in that department is a return to flush camera modules (even if it means lower-quality cameras). As a former iPad owner, I can count the number of photos I took on one hand. I can count the number of times the iPad didn't lay flat in the thousands.
So honestly, I think most of the iPad's problems are in software right now. While we're dreaming, it would be nice to see a more repairable/accessible design that emphasizes repairing/replacing the front glass panel. It's a very expensive repair, and third-party covers are already quite popular in the aftermarket.