After 15 years, Instagram launches iPad app: Check features
What's the story
Instagram has launched a dedicated app for Apple's iPad, 15 years after the tablet's debut. The new app is available for download from the App Store starting September 3. However, it comes with some major differences from its mobile counterpart. Notably, the iPad version opens directly to a feed of Reels, Instagram's answer to TikTok.
App features
iPad app retains Stories and 'Following' feed
The new Instagram app for iPad puts a lot of emphasis on Reels, the company's short-form video feature. This is a strategic move considering TikTok's current legal and political troubles in the US. The app also retains Stories at the top of the homepage and provides an option to switch to a "Following" tab with feeds more like mobile Instagram experience with still images.
User interface
Larger screen brings new features
The larger screen of the iPad provides more space and reduces the number of clicks needed. For instance, comments on Reels now appear next to full-size videos, and the DMs page shows your inbox alongside chats. This new look is also coming soon to Android tablets, according to Meta.
Launch history
Meta bets on Reels for tablet growth
The iPad app was long overdue, with Instagram head Adam Mosseri previously saying that the demand for an iPad app wasn't high enough to make it a priority. However, the launch now could be due to the increasing number of kids using tablets or TikTok's regulatory vulnerability. Regardless, Meta is clearly betting on Reels as part of its future strategy for Instagram on tablets.