Some well thought-out arguements.

I often think there is confusion amongst some Apple users about who products are aimed at. The iPad is actually sold by Apple as their $300 and $600 market computers and built for the needs of a user at this price range (as you make clear). They will have done billions of dollars of market research into this area we as the user are not privy to.

A user willing to spend $999 or more will be looking for an infinitely flexible machine rather than something easier to handle and so we get into Macbook territory.

The iPad Pro is I suppose the most unusual beast as it seems to be in direct competition with the M1 MBA. In reality Apple knows they sell the iPad Pro to desktop users who must have an expensive portable rather than people looking for the best iPad.