Considering how iPad has continued to be a device of relevance in this era of smaller computing, it is almost obvious to think that if not all, at least all major tech platforms would have a dedicated app for such a vastly used platform. It however wasn’t that obvious, specially to BigTech. Meta for example, hasn’t had a dedicated Instagram app for years, even though a whole bunch of its creators actually use that device for their bread-butter content making. Finally though, it seems that is changing. According to a report from The Information, an Instagram employee revealed that the company is developing an iPad-specific version of the app to enhance user experience on the tablet.
As ghastly as it sounds, iPad users as of now rely on the iPhone version of Instagram, which, when used on the iPad, appears zoomed-in and does not utilize the device’s larger display effectively. While the development of an iPad app is underway, there is currently no specified timeline for its release.
Interestingly, over the years, the Meta-owned company has provided various reasons for the absence of an iPad app. For example, in 2021, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri admitted that while an iPad app ‘would be nice to do,’ it was not a priority due to limited resources and other pressing tasks. The following year, Mosseri repeated this stance, stating that the user base for an iPad app was not significant enough to make it a priority.
The development of a dedicated iPad app aligns with Instagram’s broader strategy to capture a larger share of the short-form video market, particularly in competition with TikTok. In 2020, Instagram introduced ‘Reels’, which contributed to it surpassing TikTok as the world’s most-downloaded app in 2023, with 767 million downloads. And with TikTok’s future in the US currently uncertain, Instagram is accelerating its efforts to capture a larger share of the audience. In fact, now Instagram is reportedly exploring the possibility of launching a standalone app dedicated to Reels. Notably, as of 2025, the platform surpasses over 2 billion monthly active users, accounting for around 37% of the world’s internet users.
The move becomes even more significant considering iPad sales have been increasing globally. In 2024, Apple shipped nearly 57 million iPads worldwide, marking a 5.3% increase compared to the previous year (2023). It is estimated that over 500 million iPad units have been sold since the product’s launch in 2010.
Returning to Instagram, in another recent move, the platform announced a series of new safety measures aimed at enhancing the protection of teenage users (under 16 years old). As part of the latest update, teens under 16 are now required to obtain parental consent before starting a livestream on Instagram.
Additionally, teenage users will also need parental approval to disable a feature that automatically blurs images suspected of containing nudity in direct messages. These updates are an expansion of Meta’s ‘Teen Accounts’ program, which was initially launched on Instagram in September 2024. Interestingly, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company recently expanded its ‘Teen Accounts’ feature to Facebook and Messenger.
