Instagram, the popular photo-sharing platform owned by Meta, still does not have a dedicated app for iPads. Despite having separate apps for Android and the web, Meta has no plans to optimize Instagram for the iPad, according to Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri. Mosseri said that an iPad app would be beneficial in the future, but there are currently other more important features to focus on.
Instagram was born as an iPhone app
Instagram started off as an iPhone app in 2010 and later expanded to Android and the web. However, it never bothered to create an iPadOS version of the app, which means iPad users have to either use the web version or the scaled-up iPhone version on their tablets. The web version lacks some features, such as uploading photos and videos, while the iPhone version does not take advantage of the larger screen size and resolution of the iPad.
Mosseri has repeatedly confirmed that an iPad app is not a priority for him. In 2022, he told YouTuber Marques Brownlee that the number of users who access Instagram from an iPad is “still just not a big enough group of people to be a priority”. He also said that his team is “very heads down on other things”.
Instagram has other features to work on
In a recent Q&A session on Instagram Stories, Mosseri was asked again when Instagram will be available on the iPad with a dedicated app. The executive answered that he’s “not working on it right now”. He added that having an iPad app would be “a good thing to have at some point” but that there are other new features that he considers to be more important.
Some of the new features that Instagram is working on include:
- Reels, a short-form video format that competes with TikTok
- Threads, a microblogging platform that allows users to share text, photos, and videos with their close friends
- Shopping, a feature that lets users discover and buy products from brands and creators
- Messaging, a feature that integrates Instagram Direct with Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp
- Safety, a feature that aims to protect users from harassment, bullying, and misinformation
Instagram makes more sense on a phone than on a tablet
Another reason why Instagram may not be too keen on developing an iPad app is that the platform is more suitable for phones than tablets. Phones have better cameras than tablets, which makes them ideal for capturing and sharing photos and videos. Tablets, on the other hand, are more suited for viewing content on a larger screen.
However, some users may still prefer to use Instagram on their iPads, especially if they want to edit their photos and videos with more precision and tools. Having a dedicated iPad app would also improve the user experience and engagement, as well as attract more advertisers and creators.
Meta has other platforms that have iPad apps
While Instagram may not have an iPad app anytime soon, Meta has other platforms that do have dedicated iPadOS apps. For example, Facebook, Meta’s flagship social network, has an iPad app that offers most of the features available on the web version. WhatsApp, Meta’s popular messaging app, also has an iPad app that syncs with the phone version.
Meta may change its mind about the iPad someday and decide to create an Instagram app for it. Until then, iPad users will have to settle for using the web or iPhone versions of Instagram on their tablets.
