Instagram is reportedly in the process of developing a dedicated app for the iPad, following persistent user requests for support on larger screens. This move comes 15 years after the platform was initially launched. Although the Meta-owned visual sharing service has not officially confirmed plans for an iPad app, users have been relying on a modified, centrally aligned version of the iPhone app on iPads or accessing the service via web browsers like Safari.
Development of Instagram’s iPad App Reported 15 Years After Its Launch
A report from The Information indicates that Instagram’s development of a specific application for the iPad could potentially enhance user engagement on the platform. An anonymous source within the company suggested that creating an iPad-compatible app could significantly boost Instagram’s usage.
The decision to focus on an iPad app may be influenced by various factors, including Instagram’s competition with TikTok, which is currently facing potential restrictions in the U.S. due to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
Additionally, tariffs imposed by the U.S. government on multiple countries, including India, might have played a role in motivating this initiative. If the report holds true, this development marks a significant step for Instagram, nearly 15 years since its debut in 2010.
Over the past few years, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, has been somewhat dismissive of the need for a dedicated iPad app. In 2022, responding to a query from YouTube creator Marques Brownlee on X (formerly Twitter), Mosseri noted that the demand for an iPad app was “still just not a big enough group of people to be a priority.”
Currently, users can download the Instagram app intended for iPhone on their iPads; however, it only occupies the center of the screen. While it can be expanded to fill the display, it remains a zoomed-in version primarily designed for smaller devices. A dedicated iPad app would be optimized to utilize the full screen space available on the tablet.
It is important to recognize that the development of an Instagram app tailored for the iPad may require considerable time. Another Meta platform, WhatsApp, has been testing its own iPad version for several months with no indication of a release timeline.
