Wow! So many things on the list - many of the wonderful!
A question: wouldn't hosting pictures on site take up an extreme amount of space and require a lot more servers? If that is something that is seriously being considered, you might also consider attaching a price tag for its use and roll it back into the R&D fund or something. It is a luxury after all. Just a thought.
I also love the idea of having a true profile page with badges and perhaps a public and private message box. Though I don't know how that would work on the blockchain.
Anyway - thanks for this incredible list - I know it was a shitton of work.
RE: The Steemit Wish List - Avatars, Notifications, Multi-Language Support, and More - Oh, My! (v2.0)