You should not get a Variable Speed pump unless your electric is over $0.20/KWH or your electric company offers a hefty rebate that makes it nearly the same price as a 2 speed pump. Definitely go with a 2 speed pump over a single speed, I wish I had.
I have a 27' round pool, 52" high with 48" water depth. My pump works just fine and it is an uprated 1.0 HP pump which is the same as a 3/4 hp full rated pump. I'm not saying you should downsize that far without knowing more but I have no issues keeping the pool crystal clear all season and I only run it about 6-8 hours a day on a timer. I use 1.5" pvc, the pump in my sig, a 21" 2.2 square foot sand filter, one skimmer and one return, no automatic vacuum as of yet, and I also kept my tablet feeder plumbed in for when I'm away on vacation.
Tell us more about your filter, your current pump, if you plan to use any automatic vacuums that run off intake or return, and any other planned additions such as a heater.
Regardless of which future pump you get, I would recommend getting rid of the plastic flex lines and going with 1.5" or 2" PVC. I would definitely upgrade the skimmer-to-pump line to PVC so it doesn't collapse and cause cavitation.
I would make these changes to the intake:
1) Upgrade to solid PVC from skimmer to pump.
2) Add a single union ball valve to the vertical PVC line under the skimmer, the union should towards skimmer and the valve part towards pump (unless there is a flow direction indicating otherwise).
3) Install a union close to the pump output.
With those changes you can quickly disconnect the two unions, remove your motor's mounting bolts, and take the pump indoors.
Are both of the flex lines on the return going to the pool all of the time or is one only used for a pressure side vacuum some of the time? I would at least plumb in the return jet with solid PVC.